PARK CITY, UTAH – JANUARY 27: A general view at The New York Times celebration of documentary features at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival at The Shop Yoga Studio on January 27, 2020 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for NY Times) The New York Times has come under fire on social media for tweeting on May 8 that the Israeli Defense Ministry has made a name for itself in developing “ways to kill people.”
The tweet was promoting a May 7 article from the Times detailing how the Israeli Defense Ministry’s research-and-development arm has been designing technology to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, including various tests to see if people are infected with the virus.
The full tweet read, “The Israeli Defense Ministry’s research-and-development arm is best known for pioneering cutting-edge ways to kill people and blow things up. Now it is turning to saving lives.” The lede of the article is similarly worded.
The Israeli Defense Ministry’s research-and-development arm is best known for pioneering cutting-edge ways to kill people and blow things up. Now it is turning to saving lives. https://t.co/uxIvDLf4nB
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 8, 2020
Jewish groups condemned the tweet.
“This tweet is sensationalist,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “It is irresponsible that the @nytimes buried the important story about Israel’s military developing innovative responses to #COVID19 beneath demonizing language that seems to question Israel’s legitimate security needs. They should do better.”
This tweet is sensationalist. It is irresponsible that the @nytimes buried the important story about Israel's military developing innovative responses to #COVID19 beneath demonizing language that seems to question Israel's legitimate security needs. They should do better. pic.twitter.com/PM38RKKu4O
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) May 8, 2020
American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris similarly tweeted, “What a vile @nytimes statement! And on [the] 75th [anniversary] of [the] end of World War II & Holocaust, no less.”
He suggested that the Times’ tweet should have stated: “Israeli Defense Ministry’s research-and-development arm is best known for pioneering cutting-edge ways to defend #Israel since 1948 from annihilation by state/non-state actors.”
What a vile @nytimes statement! And on 75th anniv. of end of WW2 & Holocaust, no less.
Should read:
Israeli Defense Ministry’s research-and-development arm is best known for pioneering cutting-edge ways to defend #Israel since 1948 from annihilation by state/non-state actors. https://t.co/4dKjXfvRgr
— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) May 8, 2020
The Simon Wiesenthal Center asked in a tweet, “Would @nytimes describe [the] Pentagon or US Military researchers as developers of cutting ways to kill people or to protect their nation?”
Would @nytimes describe Pentagon or US Military researchers as developers of cutting ways to kill people or to protect their nation? pic.twitter.com/LrDO5hazUi
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) May 8, 2020
Journal contributor and Israel-based writer Hen Mazzig also tweeted, “The @nytimes is best known for pioneering anti-Semitic headlines like suggesting that Jews are always finding new ways to kill people. Now it is turning on Israel.”
Mazzig added in a subsequent tweet: “Like how can you turn any positive news from Israel into blood libel? Is it really the time for [the] New York [Times] to bash Israel about COVID19?”
The @nytimes is best known for pioneering antisemitic headlines like suggesting that Jews are always finding new ways to kill people.
Now it is turning on Israel. pic.twitter.com/7YzIINnb3A
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) May 8, 2020
Like how can you turn any positive news from Israel into blood libel? Is it really the time for New York to bash Israel about COVID19?
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) May 8, 2020
The Times did not immediately respond to the Journal’s request for comment.
In April 2019, the Times issued an apology for publishing a cartoon depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a dog leading President Donald Trump, who is depicted as a blind man in the cartoon. Greenblatt and Harris condemned the cartoon as anti-Semitic.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.