Believe all women, including Israeli women, too
When I went to sleep on Oct. 6, it was both Shabbat and Simchat Torah — Jewish days of rest and celebration. I awoke on Oct. 7 to a barrage of frantic messages: “Her friend is missing.” “Over 100 held hostage.” “My step-father’s friend was killed.” “600 killed. Now 1,000 killed. Now 1,200 killed.” I wrote to my family in Israel and held my breath.
Young women were disfigured, their bodies paraded into trucks by masked men, their pants bloodied. Children cried for their parents as entire families were slaughtered. Communities, neighborhoods, villages, once full of life, were ravaged by death and destruction. A concert for peace ended in the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
I grew up asking: How could anybody deny the Holocaust when survivors still live today?
In the aftermath of Oct. 7, I ask the same question: How could anybody deny the violence of Oct. 7 when it was livestreamed?
Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians — not military targets, civilians — was not done in secret. It was not done under the guise of virtue, nor were its horrors denied by its perpetrators. It was recorded and posted online, designed for the world to see.
And the world did see it. From thousands of miles away, videos were broadcasted on every news channel, plastered on every social media platform, flooded in every family Whatsapp group. The worst moments of the victims’ lives were documented and shared with the world. Their families lost any privacy they could hope for, any dignity of respecting their final moments.
Shortly thereafter, swarming the same social media platforms on which the gruesome images of Oct. 7 spread, came another unexpected reaction: denial.
Rape was used as a weapon of war, yet that rape was denied by the same groups who once promised to “believe all women.” “The weaponization of rape” has become a popular narrative as “Oct. 7 truthers” share viral conspiracies denying that sexual violence occurred in Hamas’ brutal attack.
Feminist groups promised to defend all women regardless of religion, race, or nationality. Now, Israeli women are denied that protection. A clear message has been sent: sexual violence, when committed against certain women, won’t be believed — or worse, it will be condoned as a form of resistance “by any means necessary.”
The bedrock of antisemitism is not only hate. It’s conspiracy. Throughout history, violence against Jews has been justified, excused under different names. In the Soviet Union, Jews were called “capitalists.” In Europe, Jews were called “communists.” In populist factions, Jews are called “globalists.” This clever sleight of hand paints antisemitism as justice. Today, violence against Jews has become normalized and glorified once again, as long as it’s framed as targeting “Zionists” and “Israelis.”
As hostages remain in captivity, their posters have been torn down and defaced. “Israel = Nazis,” “Zionist Propaganda,” “9/11 Truth Now,” have been written over their faces. Calls echo to annihilate the state of Israel, home to 7 million Jews — many of whom, like my own family from Iraq, Yemen, and Spain, came to Israel because they had nowhere else to go. A conflict defined by years of complexity reduced to a binary. Israel has been reimagined as the nexus of Western power in the Middle East, an ahistorical, antisemitic fiction that ignores the reality.
As anti-Jewish violence has been denied throughout our history, it is denied again today.
In 2024, the slaughter of innocents should not be up for debate. Rape should not be up for debate. This ensuing conflict cannot be reduced to a spectator sport, one where we pick our side and deny the humanity of our supposed opposition. Dignity cannot be reserved for those on our “team.” And any lasting peace will not come by picking teams, for that matter. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians will continue for as long as the humanity of either people is rejected. Empathy exists in no small supply, and suffering is not zero-sum.
Our generation is meant to be one of fixers. We are meant to fight for justice where those before us have enabled injustice. We are meant to see past the veil of bigotry and ignorance, standing together for progress.
But, as too many flirt with the antisemitism of our past, progress is tenuous.
More than 100 days after Oct. 7, several young women remain hostages in Gaza. Their posters have been torn down, and their names have been forgotten. In this, the true meaning of feminism, of progressivism, of humanity and decency for all has been abandoned. Why?
Believe all women means believe all women.
Naama Levi. Noa Argamani. Liri Albag. Karina Ariev. Daniela Gilboa. Agam Berger.
Believe them, too. Bring them home. Jassey is the CEO of Jewish on Campus.
Manhattan: Re “NYC needs housing, not lawsuits” (editorial, Feb. 18): While we obviously agree that New York City desperately needs new affordable housing, waiting years for additional units to come online while ignoring the plights of struggling households is apathetic and simply bad policy. Right now, lawmakers must ensure that every household experiencing or on the cusp of homelessness has the means to achieve housing stability.
Most of our clients are long-term, rent-regulated tenants on fixed incomes that don’t cover the rent, and they struggle to stay in their homes. Having these tenants lose their apartments and become homeless is penny-wise and pound-foolish. Preventing homeless households from exiting shelter like Marie Vincent, our named plaintiff, is also fiscally irresponsible because it costs so much to keep her and her grandson languishing in shelter.
Doing nothing in the short-term, which the Daily News is seemingly fine with, would drive thousands of households into our already overburdened shelter system — a complete misuse of precious taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on providing housing-insecure New Yorkers a permanent and self-sustaining path forward.
As the mayor frequently remarks: No one is above the law. When our clients are deprived of the benefits that they would reap from any duly enacted law that an administration refuses to enforce, you can expect us to be in court to hold them to account. Robert Desir
staff attorney, Civil Law Reform Unit, Legal Aid Society
Unruly riders
Manhattan: I read the e-bike safety article twice looking for some sort of indication that there would be enforcement of the traffic rules (“City may ‘deliver’ brand-new agency,” Feb. 18). I didn’t see anything. When are these e-bike riders going to get off of the sidewalks, ride in the designated bike lanes, stop going the wrong way on one-way streets and stop going through red lights? Because of these out-of-control delivery e-bike riders, you have to have eyes in the back of your head. Joie Anderson
Sacred space
Fresh Meadows: I wish to passionately comment on the behavior of mourners at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Cecilia Gentili’s service. Many years ago, I had a gay friend Greg. He once said to me, “Your friendship is important to me, do you think less of me because I’m homosexual?” To which I replied, “Everyone needs to find love on their own terms.” The point is he had such respect for someone who lived differently than he did. A truly evolved human should automatically understand what it means to show reverence in a sacred place such as St. Patrick’s or any other place of prayer. Lesley Paulos
Women’s rights
Spotswood, N.J.: Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s right to vote with the help of the Republicans. Most Democrats were against the suffragette movement. Her tenacity won out for women everywhere. Tom Scott
Say his name
Saugerties, N.Y.: Alexei Navalny must never be forgotten. Around the world and particularly in Russia, I hope we will see the name “Alexei” become the most popular choice for boys born this year and the name “Alexa” be the choice for baby girls. They will have every reason to carry that name with immense pride, and its history will be passed down for generations. Margaret Hogan
Opposition removal
Whitestone: Vladimir Putin poisons them in jail and hides the body. President Biden drowns them in legal fees and fines. Same motives and results.
John McCain Connell
On the back foot
Staten Island: Seems to me that Republicans continue to try and fail — miserably, I might add — to find evidence of the “Biden Crime Family.” However, the Democrats have been successful in holding the “Trump Crime Family” to account for its misdeeds. This is through evidence and facts brought to a grand jury and within the courts. So the only conclusion is that either Trump is guilty as charged or the Democrats continue to outsmart, outmaneuver and trump them at every turn. So either way, they are losers!
Gina Ottrando
Predetermined outcome?
Cincinnati: New York State Democratic Attorney General Letitia James didn’t indict just a ham sandwich, it was a ham hoagie with all the fixings, including hot sauce, one she will dine on for years to come. It was a case she telegraphed by campaigning for office claiming that she would go after Trump. It was also a case with no victims among the bankers who did business with the Trump Organization; no one lost money. The Democratic judge who tried the case did so without a jury. Legal proceedings should be impartial and political figures should not be targeted by opponents absent just and inviolable cause. Lady Justice weeps, as even those of us who do not like Trump and never voted for him hope for a reversal on appeal. Paul Bloustein
Pause and reflect
Forest Hills: To Voicer John Leonard: It’s true that Donald Trump wasn’t the source of all chaos. I mean, when he was president, Russia withdrew from Ukraine. Oh, wait — no. I mean, Iran was in a treaty to not pursue nukes and agreed to act respectfully. Oh wait, no. China stopped making islands and threatening the entire South Pacific. Wait — no. Also, North Korea disarmed and is peaceful. Oh, wait — no again. I mean, luckily, none of the Middle Eastern terrorist organizations threatened violence if the U.S. recognized the Israeli capital. Oh — shoot. While you can’t blame every problem on Trump, you can’t sing accolades with these failures during his watch. I really liked the trade war with
China, the loss of the SALT deduction and the continued narrative of destroying our institutions and distrust of the government, the personal scandals and brain-dead tweets on a daily basis. Who could not want that again?
Matthew N. Ross
Brassy kicks
Carmel, N.Y.: Initially, the “boy wonder” panhandled everything from steaks to vodka, perfume, digital trading cards containing cartoon-like images portraying him as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero, books, letters written to him over the years, and let’s not forget Trump University. Donald Trump’s latest venture is the icing on the cake: Golden sneakers selling for $399 a pair tabbed as “Never Surrender” high tops will surely be on everyone’s Christmas list alongside Air Jordans. If my math is correct, Donald will have to sell 88,947,368 pairs of the garish shoes to pay $354.9 million in penalties ordered by Judge Arthur Engoron last week for fraudulently overstating his net worth to dupe lenders. I can’t wait to see what’s next on Trump’s shopping list.
Eric Gross
Make a deal
Manhattan: The U.S. should propose a plan according to which Israel would offer to admit to Gaza trucks (the number to be suggested by the Red Cross) with humanitarian aid (medicine, food, domestic-use fuel) in return for Hamas releasing all the hostages who it and Islamic Jihad are holding; the living unharmed, the dead unmutilated. As soon as the last hostage on a list approved by Israel arrives home safely, the trucks inspected and approved by the Israeli authorities can roll into the enclave and their contents save lives. Our legislators and other concerned governments and organizations could and should urge Hamas and Israel to accept the proposal, which could be a small but significant step toward building hope for future negotiations. Aviva Cantor
Low blows
Brooklyn: It would be great to see former Congressman George Santos win his lawsuit in a big way against Jimmy Kimmel (“Lying George sues Jimmy Kimmel over vids for show,” Feb. 18). Santos may have his problems, but Kimmel is a more despicable human being. Kimmel’s idea of comedy is to thoroughly humiliate someone. Aside from showing a total lack of character, it shows what a lack of real comedy talent Kimmel has. Where is the genius or comedy in making fun of someone? Kids are capable of doing this. It’s time someone put Kimmel in his place. Is it any wonder that to this day, Johnny Carson is still referred to as the king of late-night? Kimmel is the epitome of the inferiority of today’s late-night talk-show hosts. David Balsam