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Leftists Blame Trump for Rise in Antisemitism in Wake of Hanukkah Stabbing Attack

By Daniel M

December 30, 2019

In the 24 hours since a man attacked a Hanukkah celebration in Monsey, New York, the left is blaming Donald Trump for inciting the kind of antisemitism that led to the crime. Grafton Thomas was arrested for stabbing five people and has been charged with multiple counts of attempted murder, but some are targeting Trump.

The Washington Post on Sunday cited Trump’s critics in its report on the stabbings:

“Some House Democrats singled out the president for criticism, arguing that he has been insufficiently clear in denouncing anti-Semitism and has frequently perpetuated offensive stereotypes about Jewish people.

Earlier this month, Trump prompted an outcry from Jewish groups after he delivered a speech in which he sought to convince a Jewish audience that they had “no choice” but to vote for him or else they would lose money to Democratic presidential contenders’ wealth tax plans. He also said some Jews “don’t love Israel enough,” echoing a previous statement in which he questioned the loyalty of Jews who vote for Democrats.

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The article named one Democrat who blamed Trump directly: Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), another frequent critic of Trump, shared a tweet by a New York-based comedian who argued that the Monsey attack followed “3 years of anti-semitism from the Trump Administration.”

“So sad but predictable. His conduct has made unacceptable conduct acceptable,” Cohen said, appearing to blame Trump in part for the recent rise in attacks against Jewish people and members of other minority groups across the country. “It will take decades to cure.”

Washington Post correspondent and reporter for other leftwing media Mairav Zonszein said she held the White House “directly responsible” for the rise of antisemitism:

I’m being personally attacked and insulted in what appears to be a coordinated fashion – for holding a president who has empowered white nationalists and normalIzed antisemitism. I feel threatened and scared as a Jew for the first time in my life https://t.co/QA3a8IRwUw

— Mairav Zonszein מרב זונשיין (@MairavZ) December 29, 2019

“Just to be clear, I hold the Trump White House directly responsible for the increasing violent attacks on Orthodox Jewish people in America. It should be clear now that exceptionalizing Jews — whether in a negative or positive light — endangers us and keeps us forever at risk,” Zonszein tweeted.

“I’m being personally attacked and insulted in what appears to be a coordinated fashion – for holding a president who has empowered white nationalists and normalized antisemitism. I feel threatened and scared as a Jew for the first time in my life,” Zonszein tweeted.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) blamed Trump and Rudy Giuliani on Twitter, linking to an op-ed he wrote in the Jewish publication Forward, including the false claim that Trump has not condemned extremism. 

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in America. And it’s being stoked by @realDonaldTrump who won’t condemn it and Trump’s lawyer, @RudyGiuliani, who just this week said he’s “more Jewish than Soros.” ICYMI, my @jdforward op-ed on what we must do: https://t.co/5wVUoVyS5w

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) December 29, 2019

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“Anti-Semitism is on the rise in America. And it’s being stoked by @realDonaldTrump who won’t  condemn it and Trump’s lawyer, @RudyGiuliani, who just this week said he’s “more Jewish than Soros.” ICYMI, my @jdforward op-ed on what we must do,” Swalwell tweeted.

“This isn’t happening in a vacuum,” Swalwell wrote in the op-ed. “It’s happening as President Donald Trump and his allies dabble in hate-baiting propaganda. From refusing to unconditionally condemn the 2017 neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville to accusing American Jewish Democrats of disloyalty, President Trump has tacitly or explicitly empowered extremism in ways not seen in generations.”

Arizona Democrat Nathan Schneider, who describes himself on Twitter as a “universal health care advocate, public education proponent, organizer, campaign manager/regional field director, and former House candidate” blamed Trump for the violence: 

Trump is directly to blame for this antisemitic violence and if we don't take drastic steps to address this threat the attacks will become worse and more frequent. #Monsey https://t.co/zvWq4Q1wzM

— Nathan Schneider (@NSchneiderAZ13) December 29, 2019