Coronavirus-Related Anti-Semitism Finds Its Way to the Pages of a Prestigious Medical Journal

April 22 2020

In a recent report, a group of researchers at the University of Tel Aviv observed an increase in expressions of anti-Semitism in the wake of the pandemic. As Cary Nelson notes, claims that Jews or Israel are somehow responsible for or exacerbating the pandemic can be found on the pens and lips of the European far right and far left, as well as of journalists and officials in Turkey, Iran, and other Muslim countries. Similar slanders have also appeared in a recent letter from four physicians published in the British medical journal the Lancet, accusing the Jewish state of inflicting a coronavirus crisis on the people of Gaza:

Following the pattern modeled for years in the international BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) movement, [the letter’s authors] make no realistic suggestions about how to improve Gaza’s fragile, decaying infrastructure and instead concentrate on demonizing Israel. Nor do they hold Hamas leaders responsible for their indifference to the general health and welfare of Gazans [or for using] iron and cement smuggled from Egypt [to build] attack tunnels [rather than] hospitals.

Oddly enough, . . . the blockade [of the Strip] actually provides a measure of protection from the pandemic. Travel to and from Gaza has long been severely restricted and comprehensively monitored both through the blockade maintained by Egypt and Israel and by Hamas itself. . . . In response to the pandemic, the border crossings are largely closed to personal travel. If Gazans continue to test the limited number of people entering the country and to isolate not only those who test positive for the virus but all entering Gaza, it may be possible either to prevent or to delay quite substantially the spread of the pandemic into the general population there.

The absolute priority for Gaza, therefore, is containment, a strategy in which [the letter’s authors] seem to show no interest, perhaps because it gives no grounds for condemning Israel. For better or worse, containment is Hamas’s responsibility.

[But the authors] treat the pandemic as the fated outcome of the original sin of the founding of the Jewish state. In succumbing to these political convictions, they fail as physicians to offer any of the advice doctors should offer. . . . Either [they] do not know the appropriate medical advice to offer, or they are so blinded by hostility to Israel that they cannot communicate it.

Read more at Fathom

More about: Anti-Semitism, Coronavirus, Gaza Strip, Lancet, Medicine

Kuwait Should Be the Next Country to Make Peace with Israel

Feb. 13 2025

Like his predecessor, Donald Trump seeks to expand the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia. But there are other Arab nations that might consider taking such a step. Ahmad Charai points to Kuwait—home to the Middle East’s largest U.S. army base and desperately in need of economic reform—as a good candidate. Kuwaitis haven’t forgiven Palestinians for supporting Saddam Hussein during his 1990 invasion, but their country has been more rhetorically hostile to Israel than its Gulf neighbors:

The Abraham Accords have reshaped Middle Eastern diplomacy. . . . Kuwait, however, remains hesitant due to internal political resistance. While full normalization may not be immediately feasible, the United States should encourage Kuwait to take gradual steps toward engagement, emphasizing how participation in regional cooperation does not equate to abandoning its historical positions.

Kuwait could use its influence to push for peace in the Middle East through diplomatic channels opened by engagement rather than isolation. The economic benefits of joining the broader framework of the Abraham Accords are overwhelming. Israel’s leadership in technology, agriculture, and water management presents valuable opportunities for Kuwait to enhance its infrastructure. Trade and investment flows would diversify the economy, providing new markets and business partnerships.

Kuwaiti youth, who are increasingly looking for opportunities beyond the public sector, could benefit from collaboration with advanced industries, fostering job creation and entrepreneurial growth. The UAE and Bahrain have already demonstrated how normalization with Israel can drive economic expansion while maintaining their respective geopolitical identities.

Read more at Jerusalem Strategic Tribune

More about: Abraham Accords, Kuwait