Steven Spielberg denounces ‘extreme’ anti-Semitism ravaging American college campuses in first comments about Israel-Hamas war

Steven Spielberg denounced the “extreme” anti-Semitism plaguing American college campuses in his first comments on the war between Israel and Hamas.

At an event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Shoah Foundation, an organization dedicated to Holocaust education founded by Spielberg, the film director addressed a room at the University of Southern California.

TOin the event On Monday, attended by more than thirty Holocaust survivors, Spielberg said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’

“I am increasingly alarmed that we may be doomed to repeat history, to have to fight once again for the right to be Jewish,” he said in a video of the speech published by Deadline.

He denounced extremism on college campuses and the idea of ​​”The Other” that “poisons discourse” and creates a “dangerous gap in all of our communities” and “leads to anti-Semitism.”

‘The 56,000 testimonies we have recorded are invaluable in teaching new generations what the survivors have chanted for 80 years. Never again,” he stated.

‘However, listening to them, the echoes of the story are unmistakable in our current climate. The rise of extremist views has created a dangerous environment, and radical intolerance leads a society to no longer celebrate differences, but instead conspire to demonize those who are different to the point of creating “The Other.”

“”Otherness” rationalizes prejudices and encourages the denial and deliberate distortion of reality to impose preconceived ideas,” he said. “”Otherness” is the fuel that fuels extremism and illiberalism.”

“We see every day how the machinery of extremism is used on college campuses… where now, 50 percent of students say they have experienced some discrimination for being Jewish,” Spielberg said.

Spielberg condemned the dangerous rise of extremist ideologies and warned against the consequences of radical intolerance that demonizes those perceived as different.

‘This is happening alongside anti-Muslim, Arab and Sikh discrimination. The creation of the ‘Other’ and the dehumanization of ANY GROUP based on their differences is the basis of fascism. It’s an old manual dusted off and now widely distributed.’

He condemned both the violent actions of terrorists and the tragic loss of innocent lives, including women and children, in Gaza.

“We can rage against the atrocious acts committed by the October 7 terrorists and also denounce the slaughter of innocent women and children in Gaza.”

Spielberg stressed the importance of remembering history to avoid repeating it. He highlighted the alarming prospect of having to once again defend the fundamental right to be Jewish.

“In the face of brutality and persecution, we have always been a resilient and compassionate people who understand the power of empathy,” Spielberg continued.

‘It is crucial after the horrible massacre of October 7. It is crucial to stopping political violence caused by misinformation, conspiracy theories and ignorance.

“It is crucial because stopping the rise of anti-Semitism and hatred of any kind is critical to the health of our democratic republic and the future of democracy throughout the civilized world.”