Daily Beast Removes Description of IDF As “Genocidal” in Article

The Daily Beast has removed the word “genocidal” from its description of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in an article appearing originally on August 13.

The article, titled “‘Jeopardy!’ Host Mayim Bialik’s Ugly History of Shaming Harvey Weinstein’s Victims and Being an Anti-Vaxxer,” initially stated: “Speaking of gods and shady behavior, Bialik loudly proclaimed her donation toward bulletproof vests for the genocidal Israeli Defense Forces back in 2014 just out of ‘a need to do something,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. Jewish groups criticized the use of the word “genocidal.”

“Genocidal @IDF?” the Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted. “You mean the IDF that won’t do what other nations do? Carpet-bomb #Hamas because of Israel’s concern for innocent Gazan civilians?”

Need to hear from Daily Beast editor-in-chief @NoahShachtman—agree with @tirhakahlove slur or denounces it. Genocidal @IDF? You mean the IDF that won’t do what other nations do? Carpet-bomb #Hamas because of Israel’s concern for innocent Gazan civilians?https://t.co/h22IchF7Oo

— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) August 16, 2021

Stop Antisemitism also asked in a tweet if the author of The Daily Beast article would “rather spend his donation dollars on Hamas rockets” and noted that Palestinian “population growth trends do not correlate with ‘genocide.’” The watchdog also criticized the article for stating that Bialik “was a part of the competitive action whose selection could easily be spun as a diversity hire if we didn’t know all that we do about how diversity and inclusion policies have historically privileged white women.”

Reporter from the Daily Beast, @tirhakahlove, is upset an “endearing Black woman” or a “well-read Black man” wasn’t hired as new @Jeopardy host but rather GASP! a JEW – referring to Miamim Bialik as a “privileged white woman”.https://t.co/xEnYG0Augw pic.twitter.com/0VyQYSvPE8

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 13, 2021

Absurdity continues as reporter is upset over Bialik’s support of Israel – calls Israel’s army “genocidal”. 

Would he rather spend his donation dollars on Hamas rockets? pic.twitter.com/L1pJ3BahdG

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 13, 2021

As a reporter, one must be fluent with definitions.

Example – “genocide” correlates to downward numerical sloping, ie – Jews during the Holocaust.

Population growth trends do not correlate with “genocide” as seen from upward numerical sloping trends, ie – Palestinian population pic.twitter.com/DMK3klLdVS

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 13, 2021

Jerusalem Post Senior Editor Lahav Harkov tweeted, “The idea that an Orthodox Jewish woman with a Hebrew name is even white-passing is absurd to the point of being malicious, especially at a time when Orthodox Jews are being assaulted on the streets of LA and NY.” In a subsequent tweet she added: “The fact that the phrase ‘the genocidal IDF’ is casually thrown in there – does The Daily Beast not have editors? Fact checkers? This writer is not in touch with reality.”

The idea that an Orthodox Jewish woman with a Hebrew name is even white-passing is absurd to the point of being malicious, especially at a time when Orthodox Jews are being assaulted on the streets of LA and NY. And I say this despite being Team LeVar Burton. https://t.co/3PHQu2bzSM

— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) August 14, 2021

And the fact that the phrase “the genocidal IDF” is casually thrown in there – does The Daily Beast not have editors? Fact checkers? This writer is not in touch with reality.

— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) August 14, 2021

According to JTA, the word “genocidal” was removed on August 16 and the following sentence was added: “Human Rights Watch released a report in April 2021 stating that what Israel and the IDF are doing against Palestinians ‘amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.’” A spokesperson for The Daily Beast confirmed to JTA that the word “genocidal” had been removed and that the news outlet “is developing an editorial standard for future use of the word.”

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) tweeted, “After AJC and others called out a staff writer for smearing the IDF as ‘genocidal,’ @thedailybeast removed the word from the article and said it is ‘developing an editorial standard’ for its future use. We will continue holding the media to account.”

After AJC and others called out a staff writer for smearing the IDF as "genocidal," @thedailybeast removed the word from the article and said it is "developing an editorial standard" for its future use.

We will continue holding the media to account.https://t.co/foVHriJvg4

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) August 17, 2021

George Mason University Law Professor David Bernstein tweeted, “How do you even communicate with someone who is so daft as to think that a multiethnic country founded by a group victimized by racist genocide mere months earlier, that rescued 100K of their black African coreligionists, is an outpost of white supremacy?”

https://twitter.com/ProfDBernstein/status/1427727675502862346?s=20

The author of The Daily Beast article, Tirkhakah Love, tweeted in response to the backlash: “The Zionists should really stop emailing me cus girl I do not care.” When asked to define Zionism, Love replied that it’s “a faux ethno-religious liberation movement that is staunchly imperialistic as it’s an extension of [B]ritish colonialism and an articulation of white supremacy.”

the Zionists should really stop emailing me cus girl I do not care

— 🌺 skkrrtt cobain (@tirhakahlove) August 13, 2021

a faux ethno-religious liberation movement that is staunchly imperialistic as it's an extension of british colonialism and an articulation of white supremacy. https://t.co/dMoODQwQAp

— 🌺 skkrrtt cobain (@tirhakahlove) August 13, 2021

Love also retweeted a tweet from a user named Anita Zsurzsan who tweeted in response to Stop Antisemitism, “Attacking black people for calling out the lack of diversity and representation in the name of “antisemitism” is truly something. Zionism is a racist ideology and this isn’t any different from white supremacy.” Love also retweeted a tweet from Jason Rosenberg, a member of the group ACT UP [AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power] New York, stating to Stop Antisemitism: “Your racist smears know no bounds. This account has nothing to do with stopping antisemitism but weaponizing it to propel white supremacist thought.” Stop Antisemitism responded with screenshots highlighting recent white supremacists they’ve called out.

Attacking black people for calling out the lack of diversity and representation in the name of "antisemitism" is truly something. Zionism is a racist ideology and this isn't any different from white supremacy. Solidarity, @tirhakahlove https://t.co/s78720L0Ro

— Anita Zsurzsan 🇵🇸 ✡️ (@iamjourjean) August 13, 2021

Your racist smears know no bounds. This account has nothing to do with stopping antisemitism but weaponizing it to propel white supremacist thought.

— Jason Rosenberg (@mynameisjro) August 13, 2021

Perhaps you’re missing all of the white supremacists we feature on a near daily basis.

Here’s a sampling from the past 48 hour alone to help you out! pic.twitter.com/CwgLB3i7EH

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 13, 2021

Bialik will be co-hosting the game show “Jeopardy!” along with Executive Producer Michael Richards in replacing the late Alex Trebek, who died from pancreatic cancer in November 2020. Bialik recently did an interview in the Journal with Community and Arts Editor Kylie Ora Lobell.