Israeli president says he’s ‘extremely pleased’ with Kanye West fallout after anti-Semitic remarks

CNN
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Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Wednesday he was « extremely pleased » with the « overwhelming reaction » to recent anti-Semitic comments by rapper and fashion designer Ye, also known as Kanye West.

“We are all concerned about anti-Semitism all over the world. That’s anti-Semitism, that’s racist, that’s racism, xenophobia – those are the challenges of the times, but history teaches us, usually, it starts with hating Jews, blaming Jews, with terrible rhetoric that people say,” Herzog told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room,” when asked about anti-Semitism in the United States and the situation around the West.

« And that’s why I’m extremely happy, objectively, as an Israeli, a Jew and a human being – I’m extremely happy to see this overwhelming reaction to Kanye West’s comments, » he continued.

Herzog’s response follows a bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden earlier Wednesday, in which the White House said Biden ‘condemns the continuing scourge of anti-Semitism,’ and came amid a backlash against Ye for anti-Semitic comments and wearing a shirt with the slogan ‘White Lives Matter.

In recent weeks, retailers, social media platforms, celebrities, and fashion and entertainment companies have walked away from business alliances with the rapper.

In early October, he wore a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt and dressed several black models in clothes bearing the same phrase during his YZY show at Paris fashion week; the slogan has been linked by the Anti-Defamation League to the Klu Klux Klan.

Ye also recently said « I can talk anti-Semitic bullshit and Adidas can’t let me down, » during a tirade against Jews on the Drink Champs podcast, as well as threatening on Twitter with « Go death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE « .

Adidas and others have since ended their partnerships with him.

Herzog told Blitzer on Wednesday that when it comes to anti-Semitism, “the lessons are clear.”

« It’s a global problem, » he said. “We see it in many places. We also assume that whenever you have an energy crisis, another economic crisis, the first to be blamed, unfortunately, throughout history, are the Jews. The lessons are clear.

“We have raised our voices loud and clear on this issue. It is a question of morality that goes far beyond any other question of the relationship we have with other nations. We have raised our voices loud and clear on this issue. »