Van Jones and other prominent figures are catching heat on social media for being slated as speakers for the March for Israel rally in Washington, D.C., amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Thousands of people traveling from across the nation are poised to attend the National Mall for the event on Tuesday, organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
It comes in the wake of concerns about the spike of anti-Semitic attacks across the country since the war started on Oct. 7 — when the militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack in Israel.
“The March for Israel will be an opportunity for all Americans to come together in solidarity with the people of Israel, to demonstrate our commitment to America’s most important ally in the Middle East, to condemn the rising trend of antisemitic violence and harassment, and to demand that every hostage be immediately and safely released,” the website said.
Celebrities and public figures expected to speak at the rally include the CNN commentator Jones and Dr. Rochelle Ford, the president of Dillard University, an HBCU in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ford released a statement saying that she’s attending to urge “all Americans to work collaboratively to end antisemitism and stand together against hate.”
“We are committed to helping our students find truth and understanding in this highly complex world,” the statement said. “No one should be condemned or be threatened for expressing their support or advocacy of their nationality, religion or ethnicity. Let’s move beyond sound bites and work together to promote understanding.”
Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, are slamming them for participating in the event.
“Van Jones has been a joke, but getting the president of an HBCU to speak on behalf of a regime that’s murdered over 4,000 children is especially disappointing,” one…
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