{
  "id": 5672116,
  "title": "How Israel became the Left’s organizing target for grievance coalitions - opinion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/how-israel-became-the-lefts-organizing-target-for-grievance",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T00:14:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-907492"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For years, it has puzzled me how liberal and progressive groups turned against Israel following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks. Ruth Wisse, a 90-year-old professor of Yiddish and Comparative Literature at Harvard University, offers a compelling explanation in her 1992 book, If I Am Not for Myself… The Liberal Betrayal of the Jews. Wisse suggests that antisemitism has become a convenient \"organizing target\" for a pervasive phenomenon known as \"grievance coalitions\" on the Left.\n\nWisse draws parallels to Nazi Germany, stating that every country faces issues, and in Germany's case, the Jews were often blamed for unemployment or economic troubles. She calls this the \"politics of the pointing finger,\" where identifying a small yet visible group provides an ideal target for blame and rallying. In contemporary times, Wisse notes that there are 33 grievance groups at Harvard, ranging from anti-war movements to radical feminist groups. The Palestinians, with their distinct flag and costume, quickly emerged as a powerful grievance group, luring other smaller groups to join under their banner.\n\nThis same dynamic is evident among the Middle East's often-disputing nations, who find common ground in opposing the Jews. Wisse emphasizes that antisemitism doesn't necessarily need to be expressed as \"I hate Jews,\" but rather \"Who or what explains the injustice we all oppose?\" This approach is cost-effective and can generate headlines without incurring economic or personal risks.\n\nAuthor Dara Horn, in her upcoming book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question: A Love Story for the Living, argues that antisemitism serves as a \"lie used to acquire or maintain power.\" It is deceptive because it masks racism as \"social justice,\" making the oppressors appear morally righteous. When confronted with accusations such as \"Israel is uniquely evil,\" Wisse advises against defending Israel's virtues, as the real issue is not being addressed.\n\nInstead of engaging in factual rebuttals, she suggests interrogating the origins of the accusation and questioning why Israel is singled out. There is a prevailing ignorance rather than malice, according to Horn, and this presents an opportunity to educate people, particularly among middle school students. Her educational program, the Tell Institute, aims to teach students how to recognize manipulation and understand the complexities of political narratives.",
  "summary": "For the past few years, I have been struggling to comprehend how the October 7 Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Israel turned so many liberal and progressive groups against the Jewish state.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "America, beware: The battle over Israel’s identity could be coming for the US - opinion",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/america-beware-the-battle-over-israels-identity-could-be-coming-for",
        "published": "2026-09-04T22:18:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}