A van that had several Nazi slogans written on it as well as a Palestinian flag circled around a pro-Israel rally in Boca Raton, FL on May 12.
Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue tweeted out a video of the van; the video showed the van had various antisemitic slurs written on it, including “Hitler Was Right,” “Rabbi[s] Rape Kids,” and “We Hate K—s.” The van also had a Palestinian flag hanging out a window. The men inside the van appeared to be wearing shirts saying “SS.” The driver appeared to be saying something into a megaphone but couldn’t be heard in the video.
“We rally for peace and this van filled with hate, call for genocide and threats kept circling,” Goldberg tweeted. “Thank you to our local law enforcement for keeping us safe. Hard to believe in the heart of Boca Raton if didn’t see it myself.”
We rally for peace and this van filled with hate, call for genocide and threats kept circling. Thank you to our local law enforcement for keeping us safe. Hard to believe in the heart of Boca Raton if didn’t see it myself. pic.twitter.com/SuuOBEtumd
— Rabbi Efrem Goldberg (@RabbiGoldberg) May 12, 2021
Various Jewish and pro-Israel Twitter users argued that the video is proof that anti-Zionism is antisemitism. “Just some anti-Zionists, no anti-Semitism here,” Ben Shapiro sarcastically tweeted.
Just some anti-Zionists, no anti-Semitism here https://t.co/mEvCb09sPv
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) May 13, 2021
American Jewish Committee Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal tweeted, “If you don’t believe Jews that anti-Zionism is antisemitic, maybe you’ll believe Nazis?”
If you don't believe Jews that anti-Zionism is antisemitic, maybe you'll believe Nazis?
Palestinian flag in solidarity with Hamas, SS T-Shirt, "Hitler Was Right," "The Holocaust Never Happened" painted on the van. https://t.co/DqWaGcSF9e
— Daniel Schwammenthal (@DSchwammenthal) May 13, 2021
Jerusalem Post senior editor Lahav Harkov also tweeted, “Freeing Palestine by driving a van that says ‘Hitler was right’ on it in Florida. Sounds legit.”
Freeing Palestine by driving a van that says “Hitler was right” on it in Florida. Sounds legit. https://t.co/F2Ft6v4DWc
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) May 13, 2021
Dan Poraz, policy advisor to Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabi Ashkenazi, tweeted in response to Harkov, “Reminds me of another guy that wanted to free Palestine and thought Hitler was right.” The tweet contained an image of Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, meeting with Adolf Hitler.
Reminds me of another guy that wanted to free Palestine and thought Hitler was right. pic.twitter.com/aLED52Yj8s
— Dan Poraz (@PorazDan) May 13, 2021
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.