South Bend Times

Today, Congressmen Rudy Yakym of Indiana and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning the slogan "Globalize the Intifada" as inciting violence against Israeli and Jewish people worldwide. The resolution calls on leaders at all levels to denounce this antisemitic phrase.

"There are no two sides about the meaning of ‘Globalize the Intifada,’” said Congressman Rudy Yakym. “Condemning it should be common sense, but some would rather play politics than tell the truth. The violence and hatred directed at Jewish and Israeli people is reprehensible. No one, especially in America, should have to live in fear for their safety, or even their life, because of their religion or ethnicity. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan resolution alongside my friend, Representative Gottheimer.”

Congressman Josh Gottheimer added: “There should be no ambiguity — ‘Globalize the Intifada’ is hate speech, plain and simple. ‘The Intifada’ refers to a horrific wave of terror attacks that killed thousands of Jews. Globalizing it is a direct call for violence against Jews, and it must be condemned. I’m against hate speech targeting anyone — and everyone should be. It’s insane and unacceptable to me that this antisemitic rhetoric is spreading rampant across our country. Words like these incite violence, fuel hate, and put Jewish families at risk. At a time when antisemitic violence is at record highs, we must stand united to condemn this antisemitic hate speech and take meaningful action to combat rising Jew hatred.”

Background information highlights that since Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, there has been an increase in antisemitic violence both in the United States and globally. The Anti-Defamation League reported 2024 as having the highest recorded incidents of antisemitism with significant increases over previous years.

Incidents cited include an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence due to his support for Israel; two Israeli Embassy staff members were fatally shot in Washington D.C., deemed a targeted antisemitic attack by the Department of Justice; and an attack during a peaceful gathering in Boulder, Colorado resulted in the death of an 82-year-old Holocaust survivor.