A statue of Anne Frank that was vandalized in Amsterdam on Tuesday is the latest example of a rise in global antisemitism stemming from tensions related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
This performative behavior is equal parts irrational and offensive.
Writing “Gaza” in red paint at the bottom of an Anne Frank statue does nothing tangible to help the pro-Palestinian movement. It’s actually antithetical to the entire cause. Promoting animosity by defacing a historic and culturally significant monument delegitimizes the rest of the pro-Palestinian supporters who do have their hearts in the right place.
That’s the main problem with the movement: it’s so difficult to tell which pro-Palestinian protesters are justifiably upset about innocent civilian deaths in Gaza and which ones harbor genuine hatred toward the Jewish community. The range of intentions behind the protests that have occurred throughout the country is highly varied.
When thousands of Palestinians have died at the hands of an American ally, one can understand why upset students and morally conscious citizens have taken to college quads and city streets. But when a statue that memorializes one of the most significant Jewish figures gets senselessly vandalized, it’s also within reason to question the motives behind the entire pro-Palestinian movement.
Whether it’s college students replacing the American flag with that of Gaza or leftist doctors spewing anti-Jewish rhetoric on social media, there have been plenty of examples to suggest that the manifestations of the pro-Palestinian movement have gone too far.
Unfortunately, nuanced and productive arguments that seek to protect innocent civilians get lost in the fray amid chants to “globalize the intifada.” They say that a team is only as strong as its weakest link, and it’s a shame that the pro-Palestinian movement gets stifled by so many who are a part of it.
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What’s most important here, however, is the Jewish community and the abuse it has endured at the hands of so many senseless activists. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said it best by posting on Instagram: “This young girl, who was so brutally murdered by the Nazis at the age of 15, reminds us and our city every day of humanity and gentleness, in the most difficult circumstances.”
A common theme with those on the far Left is that they are often well-intentioned but misguided. Stories such as this one beg an important question: At what point do we stop giving them the benefit of the doubt?