Bill Maher Slams 'Genocide' Accusations Against Israel, Criticizes US Left

In a monologue marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, comedian Bill Maher launched a sharp critique of what he perceives as a moral and cultural shift in the United States, particularly within the American left's approach to terrorism, radical Islamism, and Israel's war against Hamas.

Maher argued that while the US has largely avoided another catastrophic attack since 9/11, the nation has lost the moral clarity it possessed in the immediate aftermath. He criticized the reluctance to use the word "terror" and the caution advised by some media organizations, questioning why the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks cannot be plainly identified as "the bad guys."

He contended that a "clash of civilizations" exists, not between Muslims and Christians, but between "radical Islamism and Western liberalism," citing the hatred of religious freedom, gay people, and equal rights for women as core tenets of radical Islamism. Maher expressed concern over a trend he observed, suggesting that "one in five young Americans has a positive opinion of Osama bin Laden."

Turning to the conflict in Gaza, Maher vehemently rejected the notion that Israel is committing genocide, calling it a "lie that is easy to prove wrong." He characterized the war as a "counterattack in a war" for Israel's existence since 1948, asserting that Jews are the indigenous people of the land. Maher also blamed Hamas for the alleged food shortages in Gaza, citing data on aid deliveries and medical evacuations to support his claim that Israel is not pursuing a policy of population destruction.

Maher reserved significant criticism for the Democratic Party, stating that prominent Democrats adopting the "genocide" claim against Israel represents the party's "worst moment since they canceled Reconstruction after the Civil War." He compared the pressure within the party to affirm the "genocide" accusation to the pressure on Republicans to accept Donald Trump's false claims of winning the 2020 election.

Concluding his remarks, Maher emphasized the literal meaning of "genocide" as the killing or attempted killing of an entire people. While acknowledging the tragic number of deaths in Gaza, he stated, "Not genocide. Not even close," contrasting it with the near-annihilation of Polish Jews during World War II. Maher directly linked the accusation of genocide against Israel to the rise in global antisemitism, suggesting that such accusations grant people license to hate Jews.