Never one to shy away from fomenting hatred and division, Donald Trump gave a speech on Saturday to the Republican Jewish in Las Vegas, led taunts against Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and whipped his crowd into a frenzy by accusing Democrats who oppose the occupation of Palestine as anti-Semitic.
BREAKING: 10 young American Jews just interrupted President Trump’s speech at the @RJC! "Jews are here to say, the Occupation is a plague. Jews are here to say, white nationalism is a plague."
Freedom and dignity for all!
Press release and statement: https://t.co/aSBOlqUE3A pic.twitter.com/3vEGHRhbWq
— IfNotNow? (@IfNotNowOrg) April 6, 2019
One Jewish group, young activists from If Not Now, protested the event, chanting “occupation is a plague” and “white nationalism is a plague.” Trump and the Republicans will be hard-pressed to accuse that group of Netanyahu and Israeli government detractors of anti-Semitism.
A statement on the website for If Not Now said:
‘Today, 10 young American Jews disrupted Trump’s speech at the National Jewish Republican Coalition (RJC) Pro-Israel Rally at the Venetian Ballroom in Las Vegas. As soon as Trump began to speak, they stood up and chanted, “Jews are here to say Occupation is a plague. Jews are here to say white nationalism is a plague,” a reference to the 10 plagues remembered in the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover. They then sang the Hebrew song Olam Chesed Yibaneh, “We Will Build This World With Love” as they were removed from the auditorium.’
"For the last few months we have been asking #Birthright to listen to us. Today we traveled from around the country and gathered at their head quarters. Instead of talking to us they had 15 of us arrested." #LastChanceBirthright #UsOrTheDonors pic.twitter.com/1CKYCeZ5RS
— IfNotNow? (@IfNotNowOrg) April 5, 2019
Trump, who tweeted anti-Semitic memes during the 2016 presidential election and refused to call white nationalists who chanted “Jews will not replace us” anything but “very fine people” can confuse his supporters with rhetoric about criticism of the Israeli being criticism of the Jewish religion, but it’s not working with a younger generation who is opposed to the violence perpetrated against Palestinians.
Some of the protesters who were arrested issued a statement of their own:
‘Trump and other Republican leaders conflate their unquestioning support of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu with support for American Jews — a view that the RJC promotes as well. However we know the opposite is true: President Trump and the Republican party have incited and emboldened racist and white nationalist violence in this country, which culminated in last year’s massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 of our Jewish elders were killed during Saturday morning prayers by a self-identified white nationalist. Meanwhile, the current Israeli government continues to find common cause with antisemites, racists, and Holocaust revisionists, from Poland and Hungary, to Brazil and the United States, putting Jews around the world at risk from nationalist violence.’
Trump speaking at the Republican Jewish Convention metions @IlhanMN –feigns surprise at chorus of boos. "Oh yeah, I forgot. She doesn't like Israel."
— Ari Natter (@AriNatter) April 6, 2019
Much of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric relates back to Nazi Germany and the painting of Jewish citizens as criminals and “animals.” He’s done the same in the past with those of Islamic faith, and it’s not fooling anyone with the ability to think critically.
In a later part of their statement, the protesters wrote that:
‘American Jews must act while President Trump and the Republicans use their vocal support for the right-wing Israeli government as cover for fomenting violent hatred — towards Muslims, immigrants, Jews, and other historically marginalized people in the United States. No to Trump, no to occupation, no to antisemitism, and no to white nationalism! Our tradition demands freedom and dignity for all.’
Trump to Jews: "How the hell did you support President Obama? How did you do it? How'd you do it?" People in the room remind him that they didn't, since they are the Republican Jewish Coalition. He says, "You guys didn't, that's right."
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 6, 2019
For Trump’s full speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition, see video below:
Featured image screenshot via YouTube
