Russia's fanning of anti-Israeli sentiment takes dark detour into Holocaust denialism

Source: The Conversation

Russia’s fanning of anti-Israeli sentiment takes dark detour into Holocaust denialism

Published: February 8, 2024 8:37am EST
Peter Rutland
Professor of Government, Wesleyan University

The war in Gaza isn’t only challenging the geopolitics of the Middle East: It is also complicating matters in Ukraine, as Russia seeks to capitalize on growing anti-Israeli sentiment in the Global South.

Russia was slow to condemn the Oct. 7 attack in Israel and has hosted a succession of Hamas delegations in Moscow. It also works closely with Iran, Hamas’ main sponsor.

Meanwhile, U.S. backing for Israel is further eroding support for Ukraine in the Global South, amid accusations of double standards over how the West views the plight of civilians in the two wars.

As an expert on modern Russia, I see deeper dynamics at work. Putin’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict feeds into a narrative of using antisemitism to disparage perceived enemies and defend Russian actions: a tactic that has deep historical origins in the Soviet Union and czarist Russia.

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Read more: https://theconversation.com/russias-fanning-of-anti-israeli-sentiment-takes-dark-detour-into-holocaust-denialism-222682