U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy (R—WI, 1946-57) would have been proud. In the 1950s, McCarthy led a series of hearings and shadowy ‘investigations, attacking supporters of labor and progressive causes as ‘Communists.’ Evidence of wrongdoing was not provided and not needed, only allegations. People lost their jobs and their careers, faced hostile grilling by Congressional committees, and were sent to prison after being accused of Communism by McCarthy and his allies.
The “Red Scare,” as it was called, came to resemble the witch hunts in 17th-century New England. Now, supporters of Israel have resurrected McCarthy’s tactics, condemning all who call for peace in Palestine or an end to U.S. military aid to Israel as ‘antisemites.’
The new McCarthyites smear as Jew-haters anyone who calls for a ceasefire in Gaza or says “Free Palestine.” They have attacked universities, labor unions, and school districts around the country. Current targets include professors, doctors, students, and staff at my former employer, the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center.
Last month, congressional Republicans sent a chilling letter to UCSF. They threatened to stop Medicare and MediCal reimbursement, putting at risk the care of thousands of desperately ill patients. The letter said Congress is investigating “hundreds of complaints from UCSF employees and patients of antisemitism and/or a hostile work environment.” These complaints were conveniently “learned from confidential sources,” so no one can check them.
The Congressional letter to UCSF offers little evidence of this supposed antisemitism. They cite “calls for violence” at a short-lived protest encampment, which were actually calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and Palestinian freedom. They accuse medical professionals of wearing pro-Palestinian pins that “discomfort” Jewish patients.
Nobody has alleged a single case of patients being mistreated by those pin-wearing caregivers, or of their even hearing an unkind word. At least one, though, Denise Caramagno, the co-director of a UCSF counseling program, has been fired because of her pro-Palestinian statements, which supposedly rendered her incapable of caring for Jewish clients.
UCSF is only the latest academic target of the witch hunters. Made-up antisemitism charges have already cost professors their jobs, chilled teachers’ academic freedom and students’ rights to free speech, and cost good schools millions of dollars in donations. Elite u niversity presidents have been publicly grilled by Congress and forced to resign at schools including Columbia and Harvard.
Three administrators at Columbia were forced to resign this summer for saying or tweeting things that were not anti-Jewish or untrue, but called up in some minds “antisemitic tropes,” meaning ideas that have historically been used by Jew-haters in other contexts.
The witch hunt is now attacking the labor movement, opening “investigations” of the United Auto Workers (UAW) who have called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Congressional witch hunters are also ‘investigating’ high schools in Berkeley and many other places for teaching about Arab history or displaying Palestinian flags, which they say makes Jewish families uncomfortable. Many Jewish families have spoken out to say they support the schools, but the investigation goes on.
Jewish organizations claiming to fight antisemitism have demanded changes to ethnic studies and genocide studies curriculum to make lessons friendlier to Israel. Bills have passed the California legislature to require those changes.
The witch hunt is not meant to help Jewish people
These charges of antisemitism especially ring hollow when it becomes clear that many of the people supporting Palestine are Jewish themselves. Erasing this Jewish presence in the pro-Palestine movement is the only way claims of antisemitism become remotely plausible. But still, I know that some Jews feel threatened by pro-Palestine sentiments in their workplace, streets or schools. I think their fear is misplaced, but they’re being honest about it. However, other actors behind these witch hunts are using antisemitism hysteria as a cynical weapon to push their own agendas.
Israeli leaders want to ensure a continued flow of arms and money from U.S. taxpayers. U.S. militarists want to enable the spread of Israel’s wars to nations like Iran and Lebanon, ensuring billions more in profits to arms corporations. Christian Zionists want to frighten all Jews to Israel so that Jesus will return, while right-wingers use antisemitism charges to attack higher education. Republicans hope to woo Zionists into the GOP. None of them care about Jewish people; all of them are trying to suppress dissent against the American war machine.
Like all demagogues, the modern witch hunters turn language on its head. They cast calls for peace as calls for violence. They say ‘Ceasefire now!’ is hate speech against Jews. But criticizing the Israeli government is not anti-Jewish, and opposing ongoing mass murder is not antisemitism. This campaign of slander is not about protecting Jews.
Real antisemitism is a terrible thing. It led to genocide during World War II and Jews are rightly terrified of it. But this pretend antisemitism dishonors the Jews who have actually suffered. It enables the crimes of rogue governments like Israel and legitimizes the suppression of people from Palestine to San Francisco.
It’s the Red Scare all over again. Senator McCarthy tried to sink the U.S. into fascism with his slanders and slurs. He did a lot of damage but ultimately failed because Americans resisted his demonizing of activists. The Israel lobby and its congressional enablers are taking us down McCarthy’s dark path, and it’s up to us to stop them.