Steven Spielberg Warns About Rise In Antisemitism Amidst Ongoing Israel-Hamas War: “I Am Increasingly Alarmed That We May Be Condemned To Repeat History”
Josh Berger
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Renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been very vocal about his stance on the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Hamas, openly decrying the Palestinian terrorist group’s barbaric actions since the surprise October 7th invasion.
According to a Deadline report, Spielberg spoke out against the rise of antisemitism that has followed since the Israel invasion at an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Shoah Foundation — an organization the filmmaker himself founded in 1994.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” the director declared, as he quoted the immortal words of philosopher and novelist George Santayana. “I am increasingly alarmed that we may be condemned to repeat history–to once again have to fight for the very right to be Jewish.”
Spielberg went on, “In the face of brutality and persecution, we have always been a resilient and compassionate people who all understand the power of empathy,” adding, “We can rage against the heinous acts committed by the terrorists of October 7th and also decry the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza.”
“This makes us a unique force for good in the world, and is why we are here today — to celebrate the work of the Shoah Foundation, which is more crucial now than it even was in 1994,” the Schindler’s List director further declared.
He’d then assert, “It is crucial in the wake of the horrific October 7 massacre. It is crucial to the stopping of political violence caused by misinformation, conspiracy theories and ignorance. It is crucial because stopping the rise of anti-semitism and hate of any kind is critical to the health of our democratic republic and the future of democracy all over the civilized world.”
During Monday’s event, Spielberg echoed the comments he made in December of last year, just two months after Hamas invaded Israel, when the accomplished movie director referred to the atrocities committed by the terror group following the surprise October 7th invasion.
Back then, Spielberg declared, “[Executive Director Chair of the USC Shoah Foundation] Rob Williams and the team at the USC Shoah Foundation are leading an effort that will ensure that the voices of survivors will act as a powerful tool to counter the dangerous rise of antisemitism and hate.”
“I never imagined I would see such unspeakable barbarity against Jews in my lifetime,” Spielberg would go on to lament, as a campaign by the USC Shoah Foundation, which sought to record the testimonies of those who survived the October 7th terror attacks, was launched.
He added, “Holocaust survivors are the most courageous and brave among us, and their accounts are a lasting testament to the resilience of the human spirit.”
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