US Health Secretary Praises Israel, Cites Jewish Contributions

U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. published a lengthy post on X defending Israel and the Jewish people, asserting that Islamism has harmed scientific progress in the Arab world and accusing Iran and Gulf states of spreading anti-Israel propaganda. Kennedy stated, "No ethnic or religious group has contributed more than Jews to humanity."

The post, over 3,700 words, was released following criticism of Kennedy's remarks on the scientific achievements of Arab nations. He claimed media outlets took his words out of context, portraying them as racist and Islamophobic. Kennedy clarified his criticism targets political Islamism, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, not Arabs or Islam generally. He acknowledged past scientific and cultural flourishing in the Muslim world but argued that extremist Islamist currents have stifled free thought and scientific development.

Kennedy accused the Muslim Brotherhood of promoting an ideology against democracy, women's rights, free speech, and Western values. To illustrate, he cited scientific patent data, noting Japan registered over 300,000 patents in 2024, while several Arab countries combined registered fewer than 10,000. He then highlighted the Jewish people's disproportionately large contributions to science, medicine, economics, and culture, despite being only 0.2% of the world's population. Jews have received approximately 22% of all Nobel Prizes since 1901, and he named scientists like Albert Einstein and polio vaccine developers Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin, alongside Jewish contributors to technology, business, film, and philanthropy.

Kennedy contrasted this with actions he attributes to extremist Islamism, listing suicide bombings, beheadings, and other violent acts. He questioned why the world "hates Jews and embraces Islamists," attributing this to sophisticated propaganda that distorts reality to portray Israel as an enemy. He argued that anti-Semitism is central to Islamist ideology, often disguised in the West as anti-Zionism or opposition to the Palestinian cause. He also noted the near-total disappearance of Jewish communities from Arab countries since 1948, using the Nazi term "Judenrein" to describe the situation.

Kennedy lauded Israel as an exceptional economic and technological success, transforming desert land into a prosperous, democratic society despite security threats. He contrasted this with Hamas, which he described as turning Gaza into a "death cult" by investing in tunnels and weapons instead of improving residents' lives, while repressing its population and using civilians as human shields. He accused Iran and Gulf states of funding a powerful anti-Israel propaganda machine, comparable to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels', which he claims has convinced many in the West that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.

Finally, Kennedy warned of the Muslim Brotherhood's infiltration into Western political and social institutions, aiming to promote an anti-democratic ideology. He concluded by presenting Israel and the Jewish people's contributions as a counter-example of progress, freedom, and human achievement against the influence of Islamism.