More than 180 prominent Jewish figures, mostly from the entertainment industry, came out in strong support of Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo on Wednesday, rejecting accusations of anti-Semitism he has faced since opposing a controversial merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery.
Ruffalo, known for his roles in Marvel's The Hulk and Avengers franchise, had linked Paramount's proposed $111bn acquisition of Warner Bros to Larry Ellison – cofounder of tech giant Oracle and whose family owns Paramount – and his support for Israel's "genocide" in Gaza, together with Oracle's work with the Israeli military.
Paramount responded by accusing Ruffalo of invoking "anti-Semitic tropes," saying references to "genocide" and "apartheid" in connection with a corporate transaction went "a bridge too far." Ruffalo rejected the allegation as "appalling and fundamentally dishonest," arguing that criticism of Israeli government policy, military technology contracts, and the executives involved was not criticism of Jewish people.
Experts say the controversy is one of countless examples of a longstanding problem – that accusations of anti-Semitism are increasingly being used to discredit criticism of Israel, particularly as public opinion in the US becomes more critical of the country's conduct in Gaza.
In August, Ruffalo shared an old clip on Instagram of Oracle Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz proudly highlighting the company's work to support Israel following the October 2023 Hamas-led attack, and accused her of reveling in "genocide" committed by what he called an "apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle." He also criticized the Ellison family's consolidation of media assets, including TikTok and CBS, and their close links to the Israeli military.
Defending Ruffalo, the signatories – including filmmaker Joel Coen, actor Joaquin Phoenix, and director Jonathan Glazer – wrote: "Enough with the false and dangerous weaponization of charges of anti-Semitism against those who are brave enough to point out the obvious: that the assault on the Palestinian people and the assault on our liberties at home are deeply interconnected, and there is nothing anti-Semitic about recognizing that fact."
Meanwhile, US public opinion on Israel is shifting. A Gallup poll in February showed 41 percent of Americans sympathized more with Palestinians, while 36 percent remained more favorable to Israelis. By contrast, before October 2023, 54 percent sympathized more with Israel and 31 percent with Palestine.
Experts say pro-Israel groups are "frightened" and losing control of the narrative, which is why they resort to anti-Semitism accusations. However, this tactic is becoming less effective as people witness the horrors in Gaza, they argue.
Source: www.aljazeera.com