The race is on for ‘Anti-Semite of the Year 2024’: A badge of honour,
Banner image with the top 10 so-called ‘Antisemite of the Year’ nominees [@StopAntisemites/X]
by Omar Ahmed
November 27, 2024
The so-called “Antisemite of the Year” award, presented annually by StopAntisemitism—a self-proclaimed US watchdog—has once again become a spectacle of ridicule with online voting currently underway, revealing the absurd extremes to which the term “anti-Semitism” has been stretched and weaponised. What was once a label meant to genuinely combat discrimination against Jewish people has now become a hollow accusation, wielded for political ends, particularly to silence the growing critics of the Israeli Occupation state.
This year’s nominees reflect just how disconnected the term has become from its original meaning, thanks to years of conflating criticism of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism, ultimately rendering the term almost meaningless, while serving as a badge of honour for those fearless activists who choose to speak out, despite the risks and costs to their lives and livelihood.
On 24 November, StopAntisemitism announced on X: “It’s that time of year again! VOTE and help us crown the 2024 Antisemite of the Year! Some nominees might even be proud to make this infamous list.”
“Last year, Rashida Tlaib swept the vote. This year, 10 new Jew-haters are competing for the dishonor. Help us pick the top 3, to be announced on December 15, with the ultimate Jew-hater crowned on January 6, 2025,” it added.
The irony of this year’s nominations could hardly be lost on anyone. Among the ten individuals nominated are figures like Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian-American comedian who, as an Arab happens to be a Semite himself, and poker player and internet celebrity Dan Bilzerian, known more for his playboy and lavish lifestyle, whose connection to the Palestinian cause or criticisms of Israel is tenuous, at best, has even been compelled to speak out against Jewish supremacy and the genocide in Gaza.
Debunked: ‘From the river to the sea is anti-Semitic’
Both have appeared on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored show, discussing their views on Israel. Bilzerian’s appearance recently went viral over his strong condemnation, not only of the Occupation state, but criticism of aspects of Judaism including Talmud and what it says about non-Jews and Jesus.
These names are joined by others like Turkish-American streamer and political commentator, Hasan Piker, US congresswoman Cori Bush, Hollywood actor John Cusack, climate activist Greta Thunberg, mixed martial artist Jake Shields, content creator Jess Natale, social media influencer and political commentator Jackson Hinkle, and conservative commentator Candace Owens—a diverse collection of individuals that exposes the lack of a coherent criteria for what makes someone an “anti-Semite” according to StopAntisemitism.
Youssef, widely known for his satire, has taken to social media to poke fun at his inclusion on the list. He tweeted to his 11.7 million followers, “Please vote for me. I cannot lose this,” and in another post said: “An Arab should win this,” adding in jest “if Candace and Dan win I will not accept the results and storm the X headquarters.”
His tongue-in-cheek reaction, shared by other nominees, exposes the absurdity of the entire endeavour—an award so ridiculous that those listed are now proud to claim it, making it a badge of honour rather than a mark of shame the Zionist group thinks it is.
Bilzerian, for instance, added to the comedy of the situation by changing his X profile bio to boast, “Nominated for antisemite of the year.” He also urged his followers to vote for him, saying, “Guys, I don’t normally ask you to do things, but this is important, please go vote for me.”
Confident in his chances of winning the awards, Bilzerian added that Youssef should be disqualified “as he’s probably the only real Semite on the list,” before conceding that “If Nick Fuentes was on the list, I would have to concede out of respect as he OG of this,” referring to the controversial far-right pundit.
Other nominees like Jackson Hinkle and Jake Shields also made light of their nominations, encouraging their followers to turn the award into the farce that it is.
The so-called watchdog organisation behind the award, StopAntisemitism, has a long history of advocating for Zionist agendas, often equating any criticism of the Israeli Occupation with anti-Semitism. Its approach has been to target and doxx individuals and groups speaking out against Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza, effectively acting instead as an attack dog for the Occupation state.
This year’s absurdly diverse nomination list shows that the organisation is not concerned with real anti-Semitism, but rather aims to silence critics of Israeli policy by any means necessary. It is worth noting that last year’s winner, Palestinian-American and US Representative, Rashida Tlaib, was labelled the “Antisemite of the Year” for her support of the BDS movement, calling Israel an apartheid state and advocating for Palestinian rights—actions that resonate with growing numbers of people across the globe as a legitimate critique of Israel’s actions.
Debunked: ‘From the river to the sea is anti-Semitic’
With still no ceasefire for Gaza in sight, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble, it is hardly surprising that public figures with no previous involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict are now openly condemning Israeli actions, regardless of the consequences.
Figures like Bilzerian, who previously had no discernable stake in the issue, are now embracing the label of “antisemite”—not because they necessarily harbour hatred toward Jewish people, but because the label itself has become a farce, detached from reality. The term, once used to highlight hate and discrimination, has been cheapened to such an extent that being named “Antisemite of the Year” is now seen as an accolade by those willing to speak out against Israel’s many crimes against humanity.
The spectacle surrounding the “Antisemite of the Year” award speaks to the growing irrelevance of StopAntisemitism’s online crusade. Ultimately, this year’s awards exposes the collapse of any meaningful dialogue around “anti-Semitism”, Zionism, and Palestinian rights. The nominees’ collective response—turning the award into a joke—is further proof of the growing sentiment that these accusations are baseless, used more for political gain than for the protection of Jewish communities.
If the term is to hold any meaning, it should be divorced from political agendas and restored to its original purpose: combating hatred and discrimination, not shielding a state from accountability. That said, while StopAntisemitism is at it, they should have included the International Criminal Court (ICC) on their list, after last week’s historic decision to issue international arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes, fuelling the meme that anything remotely critical of Israel is anti-Semitic, Netanyahu predictably and without a degree of irony, branded the ruling “antisemitic.”
