Women’s March co-president Tamika Mallory would not affirm the state of Israel’s right to exist during an interview on PBS’ “Firing Line” this week.
The co-president of the @womensmarch refuses to affirm Israel’s right to exist— saying “everyone has a right to exist…I just don’t feel that everyone has a right to exist at the disposal of another group.” pic.twitter.com/6BEwkAYVKT
— Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (@FiringLineShow) January 18, 2019
“Is it your view that Israel has the right to exist as a nation?” host Margaret Hoover asked.
“I have said many times that I feel everyone has a right to exist,” Mallory replied. “I feel everyone has a right to exist. I just don’t feel that anyone has a right to exist at the disposal of another group.”
“In your view, does that include Israelis in Israel?” Hoover replied.
“I believe that all people have the right to exist and that Palestinians are also suffering with a great crisis. And that there are other Jewish scholars who will sit here and say the same,” Mallory said, clearly agitated by the line of questioning. “I’m done talking about this. You can move on.”
Hoover explained that she doesn’t think it takes “scholarly knowledge” to say that Israel has a right to exist, and Mallory again repeated that she thinks “everyone” has a right to exist.
Mallory has previously refused to denounce the Nation of Islam, despite the fact that its leader, Louis Farrakhan, has made numerous antisemitic statements. During an interview with Elle Magazine, Mallory said, “it does not make sense for me to throw away an organization—like the Nation of Islam—that has been very effective at reaching the hearts and minds of young black men to turning them away from violence.”
The Women’s March co-founder also would not personally condemn Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism, instead stating simply that she doesn’t “agree” with some of Farrakhan’s statements. (RELATED: Women’s March Leader Won’t Personally Condemn Farrakhan’s Anti-Semitism)
The annual Women’s March will take place on Saturday amid controversy over their ties to antisemitic leaders and their leadership’s own issue with Jew-hatred.