Utolsó frissítés: 2026.06.02. — Szerző: Anti-Propaganda News Blog
While international legal institutions and human rights organizations are increasingly documenting the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and the systematic crackdown on the Palestinian population, a political drama has been unfolding on the streets of New York in recent days that starkly highlights the profound moral crisis of Western diplomacy and media. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich – one of the most extreme figures of Zionist ultranationalism – joined the traditional Celebrate Israel Parade in New York as an official guest without hindrance.
The fact that a politician who openly and repeatedly speaks of the eradication of Palestinian communities and the complete destruction of Gaza can parade as a celebrated figure in the heart of Manhattan is not only a desecration of the memory of the victims, but also a complete failure of international accountability.
Diplomatic immunity as a shield of impunity
Many rightly wonder: how can a person whose public statements meet the international legal category of incitement to genocide enter the United States? The answer lies in the rigidity and political bias of American diplomatic protocol.
Although human rights groups and NGOs have repeatedly demanded that Smotrich’s visa be denied or revoked, Washington has deflected responsibility, citing the automatic nature of the so-called A-1 diplomatic visa. The US State Department cynically argues that admitting incumbent government officials is a condition for „maintaining diplomatic relations,” which does not imply agreement with the person’s views. This technocratic approach, in practice, is nothing more than the highest level of state legitimacy for radicalism and war rhetoric.
The Masterstroke of Hasbara: The Doublespeak Tactic
From a media and narrative analysis perspective, Smotrich's visit to the US is a textbook example of how government propaganda (Hasbara) works to gain acceptance from radical elements. The strategy is based on a well-constructed doublespeak:
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The domestic political narrative (in Israel): Smotrich channels crude, anti-Palestinian, annexationist, and annihilationist rhetoric to his own radical base, settler movements, and the far right, thereby maintaining his political capital in the governing coalition.
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The foreign policy narrative (on the international stage): During the American visit, lobby groups and the official PR machine are trying to „institutionalize” him. He is presented as the legitimate Minister of Finance of the sovereign State of Israel, who only negotiates technocratic economic matters and participates in a cultural parade. The mainstream press assists in this normalization, obscuring the politician’s true ideological face.
Cracks in the Wall: Fault Lines in the Jewish Community
Although the march was supposed to demonstrate unwavering unity for Israel, Smotrich's presence did the opposite: it highlighted the permanent breakdown of that unity. A significant, progressive, and liberal segment of the American Jewish community (organizations such as the T'ruah or the J Street) openly boycotted the event and organized counter-protests along the march route.
These inner voices see clearly that the inclusion of ultranationalist and racist ministers makes the narrative that Israel is the „only and exemplary democracy in the Middle East” morally untenable.
Washington's responsibility
The fact that New York City and the American political elite assisted in this visit is a clear indication of the influence of the Washington Israel lobby (such as AIPAC or the JCRC, which coordinated the march) on the American leadership at the time. Due to systems of political and financial dependency, the US government was unable to draw the moral line that it would draw without thinking in the case of any other country.
Smotrich's New York walk sends a message to the world that the rules of international law and human dignity are selective: for actors with the right political tailwind and lobbying power, even the most serious rhetoric of crimes against humanity can be normalized with impunity in the cultural and political capital of the West. Shame on New York, and shame on those who made this possible.
