Since the start of the current war between Israel and Hamas, NewsBusters has documented the festering antisemitism leaking from The View’s Sunny Hostin as she has blamed Israel for the October 7 terrorist attack against them, decried Israeli anger at Hamas as “terrifying,” pushed Hamas’s propaganda, and suggested it was Israel that was committing acts of “terror” and “war crimes.” So it was somewhat amusing to hear the ABC co-host on Thursday whine about being called out for antisemitism.
In a segment featuring MSNBC regular Donny Deutsch, Hostin began her comments by whining that she doesn’t like talking about the war because she gets called out for being an anti-Semite. Her defense? She had a Jewish family member:
And I've explained that even as a person of Jewish ancestry – my grandfather is Jewish – I am so reluctant to talk about this and wade into this water lest I be called an anti-Semite. Which in my view, is someone who hates Jews. I would have to hate my family.
“However, there is a difference between an anti-Semite and being someone that speaks out against Israel's -- some of Israel's policies,” she argued.
But as noted above, she wasn’t just speaking out against Israeli policy, she was speaking out against them even being angry about the terrorist attack that killed 1,400, including babies, and blaming them for it.
She paid lip service by saying that Hamas was a terrorist organization and that they should be eliminated, but Hostin spouted off about Israel’s military strategy as if she knew better than Israeli Defense Forces generals and intelligence officers. Spewing pure ignorance, Hostin wanted them to just throw “special forces” at the problem as if they were The Avengers.
Without evidence, she suggested the IDF was not trying to “minimize civilian casualties.” “That has not happened,” she proclaimed. On that point, she insisted “both sides” were committing war crimes and continued to push Hamas’s claims of thousands of dead civilians and tried to downplay the criticism of using Hamas-sourced death toll statistics. Luckily, Deutsch pushed back on the lies:
HOSTIN: We now know that the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza – I know some people are saying that these numbers aren't correct – over 9,000 innocent Palestinians have been killed. 5,000 children, over 5,000 children, 2,000 women since October 7th. The United Nations is now saying there is already clear evidence that war crimes may have been committed by both Hamas and the Israeli military and that it's gathering evidence for potential prosecution.
DEUTSCH: First of all --
HOSTIN: How do we find, Donny, peace in the Middle East? I know minds greater than ours haven’t been able to figure it out and cease-fire may not be the answer. Is it a two-state solution? How do we stop killing innocent people on both sides?!
DEUTSCH: That's obviously the goal. That's obviously the goal. I’ll answer it two ways. First of all, the health authority is Hamas. So whatever comes out of their mouths –
[Crosstalk]
HOSTIN: That's why I say -- we're not sure about the numbers.
Deutsch even explained it to Hostin in simple terms that it was in Israel was indeed trying to minimize casualties and noted that it was in their best interest to do so. “And I do believe Israel because Israel is a western, human value, decent civilization overall are going to do everything possible for their own brand, frankly. It's not in their best interest, forget from a humane point of view, it's not in their interest to do it any other way,” she told her.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
November 2, 2023
11:37:51 a.m. Eastern(…)
SUNNY HOSTIN: And thank you for coming on the show, Donny and I are friends and I've been on your podcast and we've spoken recently about this. And I've explained that even as a person of Jewish ancestry – my grandfather is Jewish – I am so reluctant to talk about this and wade into this water lest I be called an anti-Semite. Which in my view, is someone who hates Jews. I would have to hate my family.
However, there is a difference between an anti-Semite and being someone that speaks out against Israel's -- some of Israel's policies. Would you agree with that?
DONNY DEUTSCH: Absolutely. Absolutely.
HOSTIN: So, we –
DEUTSCH: By the way, let's get rid of Netanyahu. I mean, let’s start with that. I believe in a two-state solution, so, yes. Yes.
HOSTIN: He is an indicted criminal in my opinion. And I also understand that Hamas must be eradicated as a terror organization and it committed one of the most heinous crimes against humanity that we have seen in this –
DEUTSCH: And will continue.
HOSTIN: And will continue after October 7th. We know that. They must be eradicated. I am surprised that Israel has – rather than send in let’s say special forces and try to minimize civilian casualties. That has not happened.
We now know that the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza – I know some people are saying that these numbers aren't correct – over 9,000 innocent Palestinians have been killed. 5,000 children, over 5,000 children, 2,000 women since October 7th. The United Nations is now saying there is already clear evidence that war crimes may have been committed by both Hamas and the Israeli military and that it's gathering evidence for potential prosecution.
DEUTSCH: First of all --
HOSTIN: How do we find, Donny, peace in the Middle East? I know minds greater than ours haven’t been able to figure it out and cease-fire may not be the answer. Is it a two-state solution? How do we stop killing innocent people on both sides?!
DEUTSCH: That's obviously the goal. That's obviously the goal. I’ll answer it two ways. First of all, the health authority is Hamas. So whatever comes out of their mouths –
[Crosstalk]
HOSTIN: That's why I say -- we're not sure about the numbers.
DEUTSCH: And unfortunately, I know you had Congressman Kinzinger on yesterday. Innocent for Israel to defend themselves because Hamas embeds themselves in front of children. Some innocent civilians just like some innocent Germans were killed because the Nazis had to be taken out. So, it's an imperfect world.
And I do believe Israel because Israel is a western, human value, decent civilization overall are going to do everything possible for their own brand, frankly. It's not in their best interest, forget from a humane point of view, it's not in their interest to do it any other way. Whatever way is possible. If you could do it with zero civilians they're going to do it because there is an overall decency to the civilization and it's smart for them to do it, strategic for them to do it that way. So, that's the best answer I got.
(…)
