Hatred of Israel and the Degradation of the West
Bret Stephens argues that growing hostility toward Israel is eroding core Western values. He links anti‑Israel sentiment to broader cultural and political shifts in Europe and the United States. The column warns that this trend could undermine democratic institutions and free speech.
- ▪The author contends that criticism of Israel has moved beyond policy debate into outright hatred, which he says threatens the West’s moral framework.
- ▪He cites recent protests and media coverage of the Israel‑Gaza conflict as evidence of a widening anti‑Israel narrative.
- ▪Stephens suggests that the West’s response to this sentiment, including attempts to curb speech, may weaken democratic norms.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.OpinionSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTBret StephensHatred of Israel and the Degradation of the WestMay 20, 2026Credit...Ronaldo Schemidt/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesListen · 8:23 min Share full article1.6kBy Bret StephensOpinion Columnist !function(){var e="gps_module_impressions",s="gps_suppress_module",t=new URLSearchParams(window.location.search),o="1"===t.get("gps_debug")?function(e,s){console.log("[gps]",e,void 0!==s?s:"")}:function(){};if(o("version",16),(document.documentElement.lang||"").toLowerCase().startsWith("es")&&(document.body.classList.add("gps-lang-es"),o("language:…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NYT > Top Stories.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from NYT > Top Stories
