Aaron Bushnell, a 25-year-old soldier in the US Air Force, self-immolated in front of the Israeli embassy to protest the Israel-Hamas war on Sunday. Bushnell livestreamed the event and his approach to the Israeli embassy on the platform Twitch. In the video, he can be heard saying he “will no longer be complicit in genocide” and dismissing his act as extreme. Pro-Palestinan users hailed Bushnell as a martyr on social media and praised his perceived courage and commitment to Palestine. Artwork and posters glorifying Bushnell’s actions quickly spread on social media. Since the event, numerous protests and vigils have taken place across the nation. Speakers have called for more radicalization in the form of protest saying the current tactics have been too “liberal.” 

Concerns around the glorification of Bushnell’s actions grew throughout the week as other users have pointed out that it could motivate more people to commit similar acts of violence. Users argue that suicide is an unacceptable form of protest, and that it can lead to even more extreme forms of protest, with many worrying the praise of Bushnell’s actions sets the stage for individuals to commit more extreme acts of violence, such as suicide bombing. Additionally, posts from a Reddit account believed to have belonged to Bushnell quickly spread on social media as it painted a picture of an individual who has been radicalized on social media to harbor antisemitic and anti-Israel views. One of Bushnell’s comments saying “Palestine will be free when all the Jews are dead” has been widely spread on social media.

Lord Jacob Rothschild, British businessman and member of the Rothschild banking family, passed away on Monday at age 87. Rothschild was a renowned philanthropist for various causes, known as a champion in promoting Jewish culture. He was president of Yad Hanadiv, an Israel-based organization that spearheads educational opportunities and fellowships in Israel.

 

The Rothschild family has been the subject of antisemitic conspiracy theories for centuries. These theories claim that the Rothschilds control the global economy, as stated originally in a 19th-century antisemitic pamphlet. The Rothschilds are often used as a scapegoat, where conspiracy theorists blame them for the evils of the world. Hitler later cited the Rothschilds in his propaganda campaigns, and Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, still claims the family holds control over the Federal Reserve. 

 

Many social media users celebrated Jacob Rothschild’s death, naming other family members and “globalists” they hope will die next. His death led to an increase in unhinged conspiracy theories about the family spreading online, and “#Satan” was trending on X soon after the news broke. Other users called out antisemitism online and instead praised Rothschild for his philanthropy and commitment to further Jewish values.

The University of California system received significant backlash after antisemitic incidents occurred on two of their campuses on Monday. At UC Berkeley, 200 anti-Israel protesters rioted at a campus event featuring a speaker from the Israel Defense Forces, banging on the doors and breaking windows of the venue to gain entry. Attendees of the main event were evacuated to a safe room. Some protesters spit on Jewish students, shouting “dirty Jew” and “you Jew” at them. 

 

At UC Santa Barbara, anti-Israel students targeted the Jewish student body president and Zionist students with antisemitic signs hung at the campus multicultural center. Signage stating “You can run but you can’t hide” and “Zionists not welcome,” reminiscent of signage in Nazi Germany stating Jews are not welcome, served to intimidate these students. These incidents in the UC system gained attention on social media, with countless messages condemning the groups targeting Jewish students. 

 

Several members of the Jewish community at Princeton, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth College received identical antisemitic threats via email last Friday. Authorities deemed these threats as having low credibility but still made Jewish Ivy League community members feel unsafe on campus. These threats did not gain significant attention on social media.

The House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce held a roundtable discussion on antisemitism at college campuses Thursday, featuring Jewish students from nine universities speaking about their experiences.

 

In response to the reaction of Jewish and pro-Israel accounts to Aaron Bushnell’s self-immolation on Sunday, Palestinian activist Mohammed El-Kurd posted on X complaining that forms of protest such as boycotting and hijacking planes are not allowed in the United States and finished with the statement “You just can’t be.” The tweet which has garnered over 17 million views received extensive backlash. Users on social media were shocked by the comparison of terrorist tactics to legal forms of protest. Users pointed out that most of the acts El-Kurd listed are allowed except for those that break the law. Others saw this tweet as further evidence that glorifying the actions of Bushnell may lead to more extreme forms of violence being seen as justified.

 

 

Nation of Islam (NOI) leader Louis Farrakhan spread antisemitic rhetoric during the NOI’s annual conference in Michigan this past week. Farrakhan used the ongoing Israel-Hamas war to spread conspiracy theories that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played a part in the October 7th massacre and allowed Hamas to attack Israel so he could stay in power and commit genocide against the Palestinian people. Farrakhan referred to Judaism as the “Synagogue of Satan” and claimed that Israel has been “manipulating” American presidents for decades. He also alleged that Jews control Black Americans and the NAACP. Users online condemned Farrakhan for his continued antisemitism.

 

 

The number of Americans who hold antisemitic beliefs increased from 20% in 2022 to 24% in 2024 according to a new report published by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center for Antisemitism Research. The report details the results of a survey conducted in January that measured how many antisemitic tropes Americans believe in. Among the information shared:

 

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff visited FCAS’ Command Center at Gillette Stadium earlier this week. Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president and is using his platform to advocate for the Jewish community. FCAS Founder Robert Kraft and Emhoff had a discussion with Dr. Clarence B. Jones, who was featured in FCAS’ recent Super Bowl ad, about building bridges and working together to combat hate.

 

 

 

 

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