Mark Ruffalo criticised for calling IHRA definition 'propaganda'

Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo has been criticised for retweeting an article that claims the IHRA definition of antisemitism is “propaganda” used to target anyone with a “viewpoint that is critical of Israel” as antisemitic.

The outspoken actor and activist took to Twitter on Thursday to share a quote with his 8.3 million followers from Lina Assi, advocacy manager at the US-based Palestine Legal.

She told The Intercept news site: “The IHRA working definition is a culmination of lobbying efforts to instrumentalize and accelerate the use of false accusations in order to censor protected speech, to target any sort of viewpoint that is critical of Israel, and to chill one side of an important political debate by saying that anyone who supports Palestinian rights is antisemitic; it has always been used as propaganda”.

“‘The IHRA working definition is a culmination of lobbying efforts to instrumentalize and accelerate the use of false accusations in order to censor protected speech, to target any sort of viewpoint that is critical of Israel, and to chill one side of an important political… https://t.co/vMNPtsvkkj
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) June 8, 2023

As many social media users pointed out, in the IHRA’s own guidance on the use of the definition states that “criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.”

What a charlatan you are.

Take off the mask Mark.

You’re just a regular #antisemite masquerading as a “human rights activist”.

YOU don’t get to define things so that you’re still comfortable with your bullshit narrative.
— David Draiman 🟦 (@davidmdraiman) June 9, 2023

Israeli human rights lawyer, Arsen Ostrovsky, remarked sarcastically: “Oh yes, Mark Ruffalo, noted Middle East expert, speaks out on antisemitism. Was Roger Waters unavailable for comment?”, while others questioned why he posts about Israel so often.

Thursday’s comments are not the first time the Avengers movie star, who appeared as Dr Bruce Banner and The Hulk in several films within the Marvel cinematic universe, has lambasted Israel.

Ruffalo Mark

Tweet from Mark Ruffalo in which he doubts that Hamas employs the use of human shields, a tactic confirmed in reports by NATO, the United Nations, and other intelligence agencies, July 18, 2014 (Credit: Twitter)

In a 2020 interview with former Al Jazeera journalist Mehdi Hasan, Ruffalo claimed Israel was guilty of a “kind of apartheid”.

Ruffalo, a self-proclaimed “lapsed Catholic”, walked back comments made shortly after the height of the May 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis in which he charged Israel with being guilty of “genocide”.

After reflecting, he said he wanted “to apologize for posts during the recent Israel/Hamas fighting that suggested Israel is committing “genocide”. It’s not accurate, it’s inflammatory, disrespectful and is being used to justify antisemitism here and abroad. Now is the time to avoid hyperbole.”

A few days earlier, Ruffalo had suggested that Israel’s actions were comparable to apartheid in South Africa and called on people to sanction the country.

While many users thanked Ruffalo for his honesty, some questioned whether he was being “intimidated into silence” or “controlled”.

Ruffalo has also crusaded in the past against fracking, mistreatment of native Americans, and against the Iranian government’s denial of university education to its young Baháʼí population. The American film star endorsed former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2017 UK general election, saying he offered “an alternative to the corporate status quo.”