StopAntisemitism.org, a grassroots watchdog group, has announced the three finalists in its “Antisemite of the Year 2022” contest.
The candidates for the title are rapper Kanye “Ye” West, real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and white supremacist Jon Minadeo II.
During the past year, there were 10 individuals whose antisemitic acts and statements put them in StopAntisemitism.org’s “Antisemite of the Week” postings. Their number was narrowed down to three after thousands cast ballots in the fourth annual contest.
In October, Ye tweeted he would go “death con 3” on “JEWISH PEOPLE;” said that rapper Diddy (Sean Combs) is controlled by Jews; and accused former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner of brokering the Abraham Accords because of his interest in “making money.”
After his antisemitic on-air and social media statements, Ye lost the majority of his billion-dollar fortune when Adidas, Balenciaga and other companies canceled partnerships with his “Yeezy” brand. Despite numerous chances to apologize, Ye has defended his remarks and continued to make antisemitic remarks.
Hadid, born to a Palestinian family in Nazareth, “spreads his false antisemitic conspiracy theories to millions of followers on his social media platforms,” according to StopAntisemitism.org. Hadid, a Jordanian-American, has also blamed his personal financial issues on the Jewish people.
In an Instagram post in October, the father of two influential supermodels went on an antisemitic rant, comparing Zionists to Adolf Hitler and terrorists.
Minadeo is the leader of the white supremacist group the Goyim Defense League (GDL). He was responsible for hanging a banner over the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles in August, which read, “Kanye is right about the Jews.” He also directed his followers to drop thousands of antisemitic flyers across the U.S., blaming everything from 9/11 to COVID to the war in Ukraine on the Jews.
West is in the lead for the title, according to StopAntisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez, who said that is not surprising as he has been in the headlines throughout the voting process.
“Though these three men promote antisemitism from three different directions, they are equally dangerous,” added Rez to JNS. “Together, they have all been a catastrophe for the well-being of Jewish people in the United States in 2022. There are no Jewish safe spaces. The current state of Jew-hatred is running rampant with no end in sight.”
The voting has taken place online via the website StopAntisemitism.org and has been promoted on social media platforms. Rez said participation has gone up dramatically in the past two years, with thousands voting as soon as voting opened for each round.
Voting for the finalist is open now, and the “winner” of the “Antisemite of the Year 2022” contest will be announced on Dec. 11.
