Russell Simmons has expressed that he has lost a lifelong friend due to his remarks labeling Netanyahu’s actions as war crimes

The founder of Def Jam took to Instagram to clarify his stance on not retracting his words, urging people to refrain from directing their anger towards Jewish New Yorkers.

Russell Simmons shared that he lost a lifelong friend due to a discussion about Gaza, and he took to Instagram to clarify why he stands by his words. In the video, Simmons mentioned that he informed his friend of his belief that Benjamin Netanyahu was engaging in war crimes. He mentioned that he selected that phrase with immense care and deliberately steered clear of the term “genocide,” fully aware that it would provoke the man. It was of no consequence. The two have not communicated since, and Simmons mentioned that he can no longer recall how much time has passed.

The video begins with the theme of a lost friendship, yet it is not the main focus of the content. Simmons centers the entire discussion on assaults against members of the Jewish community, dedicating a significant portion of the runtime to urging his audience to distinguish between the Israeli government and Jewish individuals who lack influence over its actions. His argument posits that the anger directed at Netanyahu is being misdirected towards individuals, who are being targeted for their Jewish identity rather than for their beliefs or support.

The timing is quite evident. On Thursday, July 23, two men were attacked with a screwdriver on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Moshe Grunhaus, donning a yarmulke, was exiting the Jewish Center on 86th Street when he was assaulted. The other victim, 57-year-old Chok Sung, is not of the Jewish faith. Authorities reported that the assailant yelled a religious phrase during both incidents and took Raul Morales into custody, although he had not faced charges as of Friday evening. It occurred on Tisha B’Av. Just days prior, two Orthodox synagogues in Queens were defaced, with bags of feces and motor oil hurled at their entrances. Russell Simmons does not specify any of these incidents in the video, yet he is addressing that particular week.

He is also addressing a conflict at City Hall. On July 21, Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared a video stating that New York is unable to execute the International Criminal Court warrant for Netanyahu, labeling him a war criminal, and calling on the federal government to join the ICC and take action to enforce it. Eric Goldstein, president of UJA-Federation of New York, described the message as a display of political grandstanding. City Council Speaker Julie Menin stated that the Jewish community largely perceives the stabbings as acts of antisemitism and emphasized that the fear is genuine. At the beginning of July, over fifty percent of all hate crimes documented in the city this year had been directed at Jewish individuals, in a city where Jewish residents make up approximately ten percent of the population.

Russell Simmons describes Netanyahu’s actions as unreasonable, unacceptable, and intolerable for humanity. He asserts that Jewish people deserve a safe place to live, expressing support for Israel’s right to exist as that place, and identifies himself as a supporter of Zionism. He then distinguishes between that and what he refers to as the expansion of Zionism under the pretense of safety, which he claims he perceives in a manner different from others. He expresses his unwavering belief in a fully realized Palestinian state, a conviction he has held for as long as he can recall, and acknowledges that he has faced repercussions for voicing this opinion. He takes it a step further by advocating for reparations to the Palestinian people.

The essence of his appeal revolves around fear. Simmons contends that Jewish individuals represent a minority within larger communities that significantly surpass their numbers and that the historical targeting they have faced has fostered a fear he deems reasonable, even if it leads to backing policies he views as unacceptable. He is not requesting anyone to concur with that support. He encourages individuals to grasp the origins of a situation before voicing their opinions, urging them to show compassion towards those who may otherwise disengage.

He uses his friend as an example. The man he lost, Simmons states, embodies the very essence of someone motivated by that fear. He does not characterize the friendship as a victim of politics, but rather as a result of two individuals failing to communicate effectively, and he does not assert that he was in the wrong.

Simmons possesses a level of authority on this subject that is uncommon among entertainment figures. He became the chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding in 2002, collaborating with Rabbi Marc Schneier, the organization’s founder, who established it in 1989 to restore the alliance between Black and Jewish communities and subsequently expanded its focus to include relations between Muslims and Jews. In the video, Simmons discusses how he monitored the increase of antisemitism over that time and recently came across a report indicating that it is currently at its highest level compared to any point during those years. He emphasizes that alliance, stating that the Jewish community has been a more significant ally to Black communities than any other group, and that this relationship has propelled Black civil rights efforts and Black businesses forward.

One assertion in the video is based on his personal experience rather than empirical data, and he relies on it two times. Simmons states that the majority of Jewish New Yorkers he is acquainted with cast their votes for Mamdani, using this as proof that Jewish New Yorkers do not represent Netanyahu and ought not to be regarded as such. That reflects his personal experience within his own circle, rather than serving as an indication of the city’s voting outcome.

His final request is specific. Discuss the topic of Israel and its government policy, ensuring that the focus remains on the nation and its governance, rather than on individual actions or characteristics. Russell Simmons expresses his own sense of threat, emphasizing that the fate of one community member affects everyone. He calls for peace, a fair resolution, and a path forward that ensures no one endures suffering. He is requesting that while simultaneously stating, on the record, that Netanyahu’s actions constitute war crimes.