This is what’s wrong with accusations toward Israel

leader in the West Bank, wrote his doctoral dissertation on this garbage at Moscow’s Patrice Lumumba University. Vladimir Putin, whose war against Ukraine does fit the U.N.’s definition of genocide, has revived this tactic to distract and divide the West.

All this is worth noting, and not just to demonstrate the pretextual nature of the accusation and highlight the double standard applied to Israel at the U.N. and elsewhere. In recent years, American journalists have anguished over the problems of disinformation in general and Russian disinformation in particular. There was a related, robust debate over whether journalists should call Trump’s lies “lies.” But on any given day, politicians, pundits and activists routinely accuse Israel of genocide, even “massive genocide,” with little to no pushback from the press. In fact, the opposite is more common. The press often leaps at allegations, often initially made by Hamas, that seem to confirm the genocide charge, only to have to backtrack later when the facts emerge.

Loose assertions of genocide have consequences, none good. First, genocide is, understandably, one of those concepts that psychologically arouses a sense of total moral authority in its opponents. Any form of resistance can be justified, which is why so many people have bent over backwards to justify or “contextualize” the horror of Hamas’ October 7 attack. It can even lead disturbed young men to set themselves ablaze to protest it — and for alleged lovers of peace to celebrate it.

Second, this mindset fosters collective guilt. Jews around the world, regardless of their attitudes towards Israel or Zionism, are being targeted for abuse and discrimination simply for their alleged complicity in genocide. Many extremists subscribe to a moral tautology that says Israel is like Nazi Germany, and therefore if you support Israel, you’re akin to a Nazi, and since Jews support Israel, Jews, or “Zionists,” are fair game for all manner of harassment and exclusion.

Finally, if Israel is going to be accused of genocide regardless of its actions, it has that much less incentive to show restraint in its effort to defeat an enemy that is actually genocidal.

Indeed, it’s worth noting that those most loudly calling for a ceasefire to stop Israeli genocide often fall short of demanding that Hamas surrender. That would stop the “genocide” bloodshed-by-any-name tomorrow, but apparently that’s a bridge too far for those outraged by genocide.

Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.