Part 6/8:
Adding a layer of complexity, Kak and others address the troubling tendency to blame Jews themselves for the rise in anti-Semitism. This narrative is exemplified by actor Mandy Patinkin’s statements criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asserting that Netanyahu’s policies endanger Jews worldwide. Kak condemns this as a moral perversion—an unfair scapegoating of Israel’s government and policies, conflating Zionism and state action with global Jewry.
Kak emphasizes that anti-Semitic hate is fueled by anti-Jewish regimes, extremists, and bigots—not by Jewish leaders or Israel’s government. He criticizes the tendency to blame Jews for their peril, suggesting that this victim-blaming only emboldens anti-Semitic forces and fails to confront genuine threats.