From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Climate activist Thunberg flogged for ‘crush Zionism’ chant
Cnaan Lidor is The Times of Israel's Jewish World reporter
Footage showing climate activist Greta Thunberg chanting “crush Zionism” at a recent pro-Palestinian rally in Sweden is provoking harsh-worded criticism of her by prominent Jewish environmentalists.
The actions by Thunberg, whom many regard as a symbol of the environmentalist movement, reflect how “large parts of ‘the left’ or ‘progressives’ have been intellectually captured by a naive, distorted and frankly bigoted anti-Zionism,” Nigel Savage, a UK-born environmental activist and founder of Jewish environmental nonprofit organization Hazon, tells The Times of Israel Tuesday.
Savage, whose Jerusalem-based group was established in 2000 and holds environmentally oriented bike rides in New York, adds: “It is a microcosm of a far larger and far greater challenge. It’s sad and disturbing.”
Greta Thunberg chanting in Sweden:
“What are we going to do? We will crush Zionism”
Greta and both her parents are militant extreme-left activists and always have been.
Some people tried to tell the world years ago, but were silenced by the media. pic.twitter.com/RrMIdByBib
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 25, 2023
Thunberg has not immediately replied to attempts to obtain her reaction.
Alon Tal, a former Israeli lawmaker and a prominent environmental studies scientist, says that Thunberg has had “a historic role in raising global awareness about climate change,” but has “misused her stature to promote racist, violent positions.”
A Swedish 20-year-old who dropped out of school in 2018 to pursue a full-time activism career against what she warns is an impending climate-related crisis, Thunberg is a vocal supporter of Palestinians and has posted photos of herself with signs supporting Gaza, including ones reading: “Stop the Holocaust” and “Jews for the liberation of Palestine.”
