Phil McGraw predicted U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will show solidarity with Israel during his second term, despite a turbulent Middle East.
“I can tell you he understands the critical nature of standing by our allies. And I believe he understands the importance of friendship. I believe he understands the importance of allies and I don’t think there will be a gap in his understanding,” the TV personality said Thursday night in Toronto while delivering a keynote speech at a Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center fundraiser.
McGraw was honored with a 2024 Allyship Award for showing solidarity with Israel since Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023. During an informal conversation, the talk show host criticized fellow Hollywood celebrities for not joining him in speaking up against a rise in antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war.
“I don’t know why there are people in Hollywood that are Jews, that I have been in partnership with, that I know well on speed dial and they’ve been activists in a lot of different causes, but when one comes absolutely to their doorstep, you can’t find them with both hands. I don’t understand it,” McGraw told the Spirit of Hope gala dinner in Toronto.
He added many in Hollywood feared losing work and so decided against taking a stand on antisemitism. And discussing the Israel-Palestinian conflict, McGraw argued there was no moral equivalence between Hamas terrorists who targeted Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, and Palestinians killed during the Gaza war by Israeli military bombing not intended to target civilians.
“I hate to see any death occur, certainly children and civilians. But these are collateral deaths from a bomb,” the TV host said of Palestinians left dead or injured after getting caught up in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
McGraw also reiterated his condemnation of pro-Palestinian activists protesting on U.S. college campuses after the launch of the Israel-Gaza war and stirring up antisemitism. “The arrogance of these people is unbelievable. You couldn’t find critical thinking if you had two weeks, a flashlight and a map. Gays for Gaza. Walk that across the Gaza border and see how far you get. Seriously,” he said during his informal conversation in Toronto.
McGraw recalled his recent speech at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally in New York City, where he spoke about Republican Party supporters being bullied and silenced, and likened that to the current silence around antisemitism among bystanders.
“All of us in America, all of us in the western world, if we watch this happening to our Jewish brothers and sisters, if we watch antisemitism, if we see the language happening, if we see the bullying, if we see the hate crimes, if we see our Israeli ally being bullied in this way, and we are bystanders who do not step up and stand up… then we are as guilty as the people that are perpetrating the violence,” he told the Toronto audience.
The TV psychologist since the Oct. 27 rally has appeared to walk back any endorsement of Trump he may have given during a New York City speech that included a focus on supporting free speech and slamming cancel culture.
Source: Hollywoodreporter
