Truth or Consequences

Here’s What You Need To Know
The barbaric and brutal terrorist attacks in Israel leave us deeply shaken. Our hearts ache for the families, friends, and loved ones who are bearing the brunt of this senseless violence. This post includes resources to help at this difficult time.

At the same time, as risk advisors, we must consider the broader implications of these attacks on Israel, the Jewish community, and those who stand in solidarity with the Jewish people. It is time for many to face hard truths.

Delve has always been at the forefront of supporting organizations combatting anti-Semitism. While the focus is rightly on the humanitarian and security aspects of these attacks, every modern conflict has a public affairs dimension. As Israel appropriately responds to these unprovoked atrocities, public affairs professionals need be well-informed about the complex conflict and its impact on corporate public affairs. Here’s what you need to know.

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Social Impact Collides With Geopolitics

In recent years, companies have increasingly integrated social issues and causes into their corporate identities. Whether this alignment with progressive politics was intended or not, many of the same groups that applauded corporate stances on racial inequality, LGBT+ rights, and similar issues are not taking a similar stance on the horrific violence in Israel. Many are inexplicably remaining silent, or worse, excusing or justifying the attacks.

While more recent geopolitical clashes like Putin’s invasion of Ukraine proved easy messaging for most companies across the Western world, they now face a critical juncture where these progressive values collide with the complexities of geopolitics. Companies supporting Ukraine were not expected to show concern for the impact of Putin’s war on Russian citizens, and standing in solidarity with Israel against Hamas will test companies’ willingness to reject false narratives. Nor will it be the last test of how companies handle fraught international conflicts.

Corporate leaders who have been outspoken in past social and geopolitical debates now find themselves under the microscope. After setting a precedent for speaking out, many leaders were caught unprepared this past week. Their silence could have consequences: 35 U.S. states have laws restricting investments and state business with companies that do not support Israel, and nearly as many states have similar restrictions on companies doing business with Iran, which is widely seen as aiding the recent attacks.

Our Civil Institutions Can’t Handle Today’s Challenges

Current events serve as a poignant reminder of the challenges stemming from the fragility of governmental and civil institutions. This year, after five elections in three years, Israel saw the greatest civil unrest in its history as it debated judicial reforms, and in the wake of the violence questions remain about how Israel’s security apparatus missed the threat. In the U.S., the attacks came just days after the U.S. House of Representatives removed a sitting Speaker for the first time in history, putting American aid to Israel in jeopardy. House Foreign Relations Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX) called the dysfunction “a dangerous game.”

As we have noted for some time, “Private businesses have become the most trusted institutions in the United States as Americans have become increasingly divided by politics.” That means increased pressure to speak out on a broader range of issues. As trust in civil institutions keeps falling and basic tasks of government become more difficult, that pressure to fill the gap will only grow.

Media’s Misinformation Campaign

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has brought into sharp focus the critical issue of mis- and dis-information in today’s media landscape. While governments and commentators have focused on its spread on social media, for too many journalists it has become an easy excuse to reject uncomfortable truths about the conflict and the nature of the attack. A Los Angeles Times investigative reporter, for example, persistently questioned incidents of rape and beheadings attributed to Hamas, and both CBS News and New York Times changed headlines in ways that downplay Hamas’ atrocities. As documented by Newsbusters, those outlets are far from alone in setting a media narrative defensive of, if not sympathetic to, Hamas terrorists in their coverage of the conflict. The biased coverage and agenda-driven narratives of the media serve as a reminder for public affairs professionals: while viral misrepresentations or deepfakes are dangerous, more frequently “the real challenge is not how widespread the fake news is, but rather how fake the real news can be.”

America Awakes To Its Rotting Academia

Student activists expressing support for Palestine and Hamas have surprised many Americans, and many colleges and universities failed to respond appropriately. Most conspicuous was a statement by more than 30 Harvard student organizations blaming the Israeli government “entirely” for the violence. Harvard’s president struggled to respond even as prominent voices like former Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers expressed disappointment. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who spoke for a number of CEOs, demanded names of the signatories “to insure that none of us inadvertently hire” them. Other elite institutions faced similar predicaments and similar opprobrium, a potential watershed moment for corporate concern over higher education’s progressive shift.

While many of these institutions readily condemned various social and political issues, their silence on this matter is notable. Those tracking how anti-Semitism masquerades as progressive inclusivity on campus were not surprised. Still, prominent higher education institutions’ deafening silence implicitly endorses a hateful ideology amidst disturbing student activism in solidarity with Hamas’ attacks. Similarly, corporate executives spoke out about racial injustice, LGBT+ rights, and other social and political issues in recent years, but many have remained silent or neutral in the current conflict.

DEI’s Blindspot

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives intended to address discrimination and foster inclusivity have a concerning blind spot. Too many DEI efforts perpetuate anti-Semitic attitudes and mistreatment of Jews. The weaponization of DEI measures to unfairly portray Jewish students and Israel as oppressors undermine the very ideals DEI initiatives claim to promote. Instances like Derron Borders, the diversity and inclusion director at Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management, referring to Hamas terror attacks as ‘the resistance’ underscore DEI leaders’ failure to eschew hateful rhetoric and violence-inciting speech.

DEI initiatives are at an inflection point in which they must address this blind spot to preserve their principles of inclusivity and free expression. Failing to do so not only endangers the well-being of Jewish students but calls into question the effectiveness of DEI initiatives. This challenge extends beyond campus to companies that embraced DEI initiatives following George Floyd’s murder but now face scrutiny from conservatives. As public awareness of how DEI programs and practitioners treat Jews increases, that scrutiny may transcend partisan divides.

Despite This Past Week’s Clarity, Support For Israel Is Already Evaporating

Last Sunday’s news programs, traditionally influential in Washington discourse, focused questions on civilians in Gaza, neglecting Hamas’ devastating atrocities, Israel’s right to safeguard its citizens, or the anxieties of Jews near and far from Israel. The gruesome and unprecedented attacks cannot fade from memories and allow the conflict to shift into its typical narrative.

As Natan Sharansky, the Soviet Jewish political prisoner who reached freedom in Israel, wrote, “In dictatorships you need courage to fight evil; in the free world you need courage to see evil.” Today, companies and institutions in democratic nations must have courage to see beyond comfortable narratives and support Israel as it confronts the evil exposed by these attacks.

How You Can Help

The situation in the Middle East is complex and impacts the entire global Jewish community. Delve can assist you in better understanding and addressing this issue. To start, we encourage you to join us in supporting these organizations addressing critical needs in Israel and beyond:

United Hatzalah is a volunteer EMS organization aiding Israel’s medical and humanitarian needs.
Magen David Adom supports frontline medical responders in Israel – and Michael Bloomberg is currently matching donations.
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces directly supports the men and women defending Israel from further attack – with Haim and Cheryl Saban matching donations.
Israel on Campus Coalition coordinates efforts to combat anti-Semitism on U.S. campuses to ensure they remain safe for Jews.