It's becoming exhausting to hear celebrities who pose as humanitarians or thought leaders weigh in on the Israel-Hamas war when their commentary often lacks nuance and is embarrassingly uninformed.
Take American actor Mark Ruffalo, for example, whose anti-Israel rhetoric on X, formerly known as Twitter, is well-known.
On August 23, Ruffalo penned an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times advocating for an arms embargo on Israel for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Throughout the article, Ruffalo scarcely mentions Hamas, only referring to them once in the context of Israel's "provocative measures," over the alleged assassination of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran—an accusation he cannot provide proof for. Even more striking is Ruffalo's failure to mention the Oct. 7 massacre, the slaughter of 1200 people that initiated the war, which Hamas has proudly called "just a rehearsal" and has threatened to repeat.
One glaring omission in Ruffalo's op-ed is any reference to the 101 hostages held in Gaza. He presents information the United Nations has disputed and continues to argue that President Biden's final legacy must involve securing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. However, any ceasefire that leaves Hamas capable of committing another massacre like the one on Oct. 7 is anything but permanent.
Ruffalo's tone-deaf commentary is nothing new, but this week, he crossed a line by having the audacity to blame Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the execution of six hostages—executions carried out by Hamas before the Israel Defense Forces could reach them. Days ago, Ruffalo tweeted, "Neither Hersh Goldberg-Polin nor Aysenur Egan Eygi would be dead today if it weren't for the USA's failed policies concerning the continued siege on Gaza, Netanyahu, and the IDF intransigence." The fact that he can excuse the actions of a terrorist organization while blaming Israel and the US is beyond comprehension. Nowhere in his statement does he mention Hamas, let alone hold them accountable.
When you cast Israel as the oppressor and absolve Hamas of its war crimes, you cross into the territory of sympathizing with terrorists and demanding that Western allies negotiate on terrorists' terms.
Perhaps sensing the backlash, Ruffalo later issued a weak apology, expressing his "grief at the ongoing conflict in Gaza" and directing his words to the Goldberg-Polin family—after having weaponized the murder of their son to further his narrative.
Mark Ruffalo, you are profoundly wrong. Hersh Goldberg-Polin would be alive today if Hamas hadn't invaded Israel on Oct. 7, hadn't murdered his best friend, blown off Hersh's arm, and kidnapped him into Gaza for eleven months. Hersh would be alive if Hamas cared more for the well-being of its own people than for murdering Jews in cold blood. Israel or the US didn't kill the six hostages; Hamas pulled the trigger and shot them in the back of the heads (while the hostages spent their last moments fighting them back).
The Jewish community sees through this. Ruffalo used the death of an American citizen not to hold the murderers accountable but to demonize Israel. He can save his empty apology for his Hamas-supporting friends.
