From medieval blood libels to today’s accusations of genocide and starvation, the Jewish people have faced centuries of fabricated charges. Hamas continues this strategy of lies — and too many in the world, and even among Jews, are falling for it.
The Blood Libel Tradition, Reborn
The Jewish people have always been targets of grotesque lies. In the Middle Ages, Jews were falsely accused of murdering Christian children for ritual purposes — charges with not a shred of evidence, only hatred. Today, the blood libels have new labels: genocide, starvation, ethnic cleansing.
These modern accusations serve the same purpose: to demonize Jews, delegitimize Israel, and absolve the real perpetrators — Hamas.
The Problem of Mixed Messaging
Israel’s government often weakens its case by “arguing in the alternative”: sometimes insisting there is no starvation in Gaza, other times asserting that if there is starvation, Hamas is to blame. Both may be true, but together they appear contradictory, fueling propaganda and undermining credibility.
Media Manipulation: Old Tricks, New Wars
- NYT’s infamous photo: A Palestinian mother claimed her son was starving. The paper cropped out the boy’s healthy brother, and later it was revealed the gaunt child suffered from cerebral palsy — not hunger. No apology followed.
- 1982 Lebanon War: A doctored photo of a Lebanese child allegedly maimed by Israel convinced even US President Ronald Reagan to demand a ceasefire. Weeks later, the Washington Post revealed the injuries came from Palestinian shelling, not Israel.
Time and again, staged images and selective reporting damage Israel’s reputation — long after the lies are exposed.
Sabra and Shatila: “Gentiles Murder Gentiles, and They Want to Hang the Jews”
In 1982, Lebanese Christian militias massacred hundreds of Muslims in Sabra and Shatila. Despite the fact that Israel neither planned nor executed the atrocity, global outrage fixed blame squarely on the Jewish state. As Prime Minister Menachem Begin quipped:
“Gentiles murder Gentiles, and they want to hang the Jews.”
The same twisted logic is at play today in Gaza. Hamas starves and exploits its own people — and the world points the finger at Israel.
The Hamas Strategy of Lies
Hamas cannot militarily destroy Israel. Instead, it thrives on:
- Weaponizing victimhood: using civilians as human shields.
- Manipulating compassion: playing on Jews’ own empathy.
- Eroding morale: pushing Israelis to doubt the justice of their cause.
This is not accidental — it is Hamas’ calculated plan. And tragically, parts of Israel’s own left-leaning media, NGOs, and even rabbis amplify this narrative.
When Jews Aid Hamas’ Narrative
- Leftist rabbis in America recently circulated a letter declaring Gaza’s “humanitarian crisis” among the worst in history — language indistinguishable from Hamas talking points.
- New York’s UJA Federation proudly announced a $1 million donation to a Gaza relief fund, a gesture critics likened to donating to rebuild Dresden in 1945.
These acts may signal virtue, but in reality, they play Hamas’ game — aiding an enemy sworn to annihilate Israel and the Jewish people.
The Settler Violence Canard
Another recurring libel is “extreme settler violence.” The narrative paints every Palestinian casualty in Judea and Samaria — whether killed in terror attacks, accidents, or IDF operations — as victims of “settlers.” Evidence is secondary; guilt is preassigned.
The Doctrine of Taqiyya
Hamas thrives on deception rooted in the Islamic doctrine of taqiyya — permitting lies to advance Islamic goals. From falsified casualty numbers to fabricated atrocity stories, Hamas has perfected the art of propaganda. The tragedy is not that Hamas lies — but that the world, desperate to vilify Jews, wants to believe them.
The Call to Clarity
Israel and its supporters must stop falling into these traps. Every libel, every fake photo, every fabricated report should be treated as presumptively false until proven otherwise. Repeating Hamas’ narrative — whether by media, rabbis, or Jewish institutions — only strengthens the enemy.
This is not just about defending Israel’s reputation. It is about safeguarding Jewish survival and exposing Hamas’ cynical exploitation of its own people.
Conclusion
From the Middle Ages to the present, the pattern has not changed: Jews are accused, condemned, and vilified — truth be damned. The world loves these libels because it loves hating Jews.
It is time to stop abetting the enemy’s lies and recognize them for what they are: part of Hamas’ broader strategy to erode Israel’s spirit and delegitimize its very existence.
Only by rejecting these fabrications outright can Israel and the Jewish people continue toward redemption — with the clarity, resilience, and truth that have always sustained them.
