Yosef Haddad Condemns Haaretz Journalist Gideon Levy as 'Useful Idiot' Over Holocaust Camp Incident

Yosef Haddad, a public advocacy activist, sharply criticized Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy following Levy's column comparing the Nazi concentration camp of Mauthausen to the "Free Palestine" slogan. The controversy arose after a group of students visiting the Austrian Nazi camp included one wearing a shirt bearing the antisemitic slogan "Free Palestine" alongside an image of Palestinian terrorist Dalal Mughrabi. Haddad highlighted that Mughrabi led a deadly terror attack on Israel's Coastal Highway, killing 35 Israelis, including 12 children, and injuring many others. He condemned the act of wearing a symbol of Palestinian terrorism at a site where Jews were murdered and tortured as pure antisemitism.

Haddad accused Levy of supporting this comparison in his Haaretz column, calling him a "useful idiot" for the Palestinians and expressing disgust at Levy's stance. Haddad's Instagram post, which quickly gained thousands of likes, ended with a strong denunciation of Levy as a despicable figure combining shame and repulsion. The post also sparked backlash, with critics arguing that Levy's approach was not democracy or free speech but rather spreading hatred and incitement seen worldwide.

This incident underscores ongoing tensions in Israel regarding the memory of the Holocaust, Palestinian terrorism, and the political discourse surrounding these issues. Haddad's response reflects a broader debate about antisemitism and the boundaries of political expression in Israel.