The No-Win Dynamic: Understanding Antisemitism and Israel

Why does support for Israel fuel antisemitism on the right, while criticism of Israel fuels it on the left? The Atlantic's Yair Rosenberg returns to explain what he calls the "no-win dynamic" of prejudice—where any argument can be twisted to justify hatred. Sarah and Beth talk with Yair about his recent research revealing a surprising generational shift: younger Americans are significantly more likely to express antisemitic views than older generations, and age matters more than political party. He unpacks why this is happening—from the fading memory of World War II to the culture of edginess and transgression online—and explains why it's so hard to distinguish "a punchline from a punch." The conversation also moves beyond Israel as symbol to Israel as actual country, exploring the upcoming election, Netanyahu's grip on power, the internal battles over university diversity programs and film funding, and why understanding these complexities matters for productive conversations about the Middle East. Ready to go deeper? Visit our website for complete show notes, exclusive premium content, chats, and more. If you're not already subscribed, you can use this link to ensure you're getting our show notes, weekly newsletter, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices