Bill Maher delivered a scathing critique of the Democratic Party’s shifting stance on Israel and rising antisemitism during a recent episode of HBO’s “Real Time.” It seems like as every week goes by, Maher gets closer and closer to becoming a Republican.
At a glance:
• Bill Maher confronted Governor Josh Shapiro about Democrats “tiptoeing back away” from addressing antisemitism
• Maher compared young leftist protesters to the “tiki torch” white nationalists in Charlottesville
• Former FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed antisemitism has reached “historic levels” in America
• Governor Shapiro acknowledged there is an anti-Israel wing within the Democratic Party
• Maher criticized the argument that Israel’s response to Hamas should be “proportional”
Democrats Accused of Abandoning Israel
Liberal TV host Bill Maher expressed shock at the dramatic rise in antisemitism in the United States following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent war in Gaza during a recent episode – and people are noticing how critical he is becoming of his own party. The HBO host expressed shock about the shift in the Democratic Party’s stance toward Israel, noting it was once strongly pro-Israel but has changed significantly in recent years.
During his conversation with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Maher pointed out that Democrats are doing “a lot of tiptoeing back away” from addressing antisemitism directly. This reluctance stands in stark contrast to the party’s historically strong support for the Jewish state.
Maher bluntly compared young leftist protesters to the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville in 2017, telling his audience, “I mean, the young people who hated Trump because he wouldn’t condemn the people with the tiki torches talking about Jews- you’re the ones with the tiki torches now!”
“Historic Levels” of Antisemitism
The discussion also touched on former FBI Director Christopher Wray’s recent testimony that antisemitism has reached “historic levels” in the United States. College campuses have become hotbeds of anti-Israel sentiment, with numerous reports of Jewish students facing threats and intimidation.
Maher questioned Governor Shapiro, who is Jewish, about whether his religious identity might affect his chances of being selected as a Vice-Presidential candidate. The exchange highlighted the political challenges facing Jewish Democrats in a party increasingly critical of Israel.
“What do you make of this level of just gut-wrenching antisemitism?” Maher asked Shapiro during their discussion. The Pennsylvania Governor acknowledged the presence of an anti-Israel faction within the Democratic Party and agreed with many of Maher’s observations about the troubling trend.
Maher argued that many Palestinian sympathizers lack basic knowledge about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Social media has exacerbated the problem by spreading misinformation and inflammatory content that fuels anti-Jewish sentiment across the political spectrum.
Defending Israel’s Right to Self-Defense
One of the most contentious points in Maher’s commentary was his rejection of the “proportionality” argument often used by critics of Israel’s military response to Hamas. He dismissed the notion that Israel should limit its defensive actions to match the scale of attacks against it.
“For people who wonder why they are doing it, is because if they don’t, their answer… is that if they don’t fight back Hamas, they’re telling you we’re going to do it again!” Maher explained. His defense of Israel’s military campaign stands in stark contrast to the position taken by many progressive Democrats.
Perhaps Maher will just come out and endorse Trump’s unity government some time over the next four years.
