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Antisemitism Watch - August 31, 2026, 05 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. Today, we're
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  Speaker 1: examining how political figures navigate sensitive issues, how cultural institutions
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  Speaker 1: respond to content about antisemitism, and the persistent threats facing
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  Speaker 1: Jewish communities abroad. We begin with a closely watched appearance.
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  Speaker 1: Vice President J.D. Vance is slated to address the Republican-Jewish
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  Speaker 1: coalition this week. This event takes place against a backdrop
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  Speaker 1: of sharply rising concerns about antisemitism across the political spectrum,
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  Speaker 1: particularly ahead of the midterm elections and evolving US policy
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  Speaker 1: toward Israel. According to reporting, there's a noted sentiment here
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  Speaker 1: of some discomfort among some Republican Jewish coalition members regarding
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  Speaker 1: the vice president, with one member telling the Associated Press
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  Speaker 1: they are confused about his true sentiments. This discomfort stems
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  Speaker 1: partly from Vance's past public associations, including his failure to
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  Speaker 1: disavow conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who famously hosted anti-Semitic figure
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  Speaker 1: Nick Fuentes. Furthermore, Vance himself made controversial statements last month, suggesting,
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  Speaker 1: as reported by the AP, that some Israeli officials have
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  Speaker 1: sought to manipulate US public opinion in order to prolong
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  Speaker 1: the war with Iran. He elaborated in July on podcaster
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  Speaker 1: Joe Rogan's show. stating that elements of the Israeli government
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  Speaker 1: had tried to influence American sentiment to derail negotiations. The
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  Speaker 1: Associated Press also notes that Vance's stance on Israel is
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  Speaker 1: viewed by some as more equivocal than former President Trump's,
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  Speaker 1: and that support for Israel has eroded across the political spectrum,
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  Speaker 1: particularly among younger Republicans. This appearance provides Vance an opportunity
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  Speaker 1: to address these complex issues directly with a key constituency,
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  Speaker 1: during a politically charged period. Turning to Australia, a documentary
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  Speaker 1: focused on antisemitic cancel culture has itself faced a form
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  Speaker 1: of cancellation. Cancelled, a film examining how Jewish artists have
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  Speaker 1: been targeted and doxxed in the wake of the October
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  Speaker 1: 7th attacks, has reportedly been rejected by major Australian film
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  Speaker 1: festivals and public broadcasters. The documentary's producer and director, Danny Ben-Mosh,
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  Speaker 1: told Jerusalem News Syndicate that both the Sydney and Melbourne
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  Speaker 1: film festivals, as well as the national public broadcaster ABC
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  Speaker 1: and its multicultural network SBS, refused to screen the film.
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  Speaker 1: Ben-Mosh described the situation as ironically vindicating the film's thesis,
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  Speaker 1: stating it, proved the whole thesis of the film and
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  Speaker 1: left no room for doubt. He also emphasized that the
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  Speaker 1: film was intended for a non-Jewish audience, as the subject
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  Speaker 1: is already widely understood within the Jewish community. Ben Mosh
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  Speaker 1: voiced grave concerns for the future of Australian Jews, noting
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  Speaker 1: that such decisions by cultural gatekeepers are particularly troubling and
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  Speaker 1: suggest a bleak future, especially in light of past events
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  Speaker 1: like the Bondi Beach Massacre, which he described as the
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  Speaker 1: worst terrorist attack in the country's history. Internationally, a call
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  Speaker 1: has emerged from Christian lawmakers urging former President Donald Trump
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  Speaker 1: to establish a dedicated U.S. pathway for Jewish Canadians. This initiative,
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  Speaker 1: as reported, is a direct response to vandalism, threats and
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  Speaker 1: violence that have been directed at Jewish communities across Canada
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  Speaker 1: since the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. The appeal
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  Speaker 1: highlights the continued international scope of antisemitic incidents and the
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  Speaker 1: urgent need for protective measures for Jewish populations. These stories
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  Speaker 1: from American politics, Australia's cultural landscape and beyond illustrate the
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  Speaker 1: multifaceted challenges we face in confronting antisemitism. I'm Rachel Adler.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us on Antisemitism Watch. This report
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  Speaker 1: was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please
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  Speaker 1: verify important details with primary sources.