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Why Did TIME Magazine Select So Many Anti-Israel and Anti-Jewish Figures for Its ‘Creators’ List?

Mohammed el-Kurd. Photo: Twitter.

Those chosen for 2025 TIME 100 Creators List are diverse, bold, and on target. But while TIME got the “who” right, it missed the “why it matters” on some of its most controversial figures — failing to interrogate how some influencers wield their platforms in ways that are misleading, harmful, or socially corrosive.

This is nothing new.

TIME has a pattern of whitewashing. Their “100” lists and people “of the year” feature some of the best and the worst — like Adolf Hitler as Man of the Year in 1938. But all of these people are indeed impactful in their own right. That’s why they make the list.

In a letter describing how the list was compiled, TIME’s editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, explained:

Most of the people on our list face pressure to respond to news, and criticism comes when their comments don’t match audiences’ expectations. Some of them are polarizing; some of them are delightful—at least for now, until the day they inevitably say something to inflame their followers or those who don’t follow them at all.

Evidently, TIME made an editorial decision to downplay those with “polarizing” views.

So yes, it is important to bring all this to attention, because TIME certainly hasn’t. Here’s what has been left out of the bios of some of the most problematic TIME 100 figures across the board over the last few years.

Joe Rogan: A “cultural force” (2022, 2025)

One of the most well-known and successful podcasters in the industry, Joe Rogan talks about anything and everything on his show — and that means talking to anyone and everyone.

TIME called him “a hero to many tired of strict partisanship and looking for a voice to trust.” This year, he was on both the Creators List and the Most Influential People’s List.

His “creators” bio then proceeded with his controversial history: “Yet his commentary and his willingness to platform virtually anyone he deems interesting—including those who promote conspiracy theories and target trans people, among other marginalized groups—has drawn criticism.”

What TIME failed to disclose is that Rogan has hosted Holocaust revisionists like Darryl Cooper, and did not push back on his views that downplay Nazi atrocities. In fact, he asked Cooper to explain his views.

Rogan is also responsible for spreading antisemitic tropes like this:

The idea that Jewish people are not into money is ridiculous. That’s like saying Italians aren’t into pizza.

And certainly not the least of his offenses: defending Kanye West’s “Heil Hitler” song.

Theo Von: The “Comic Truth-Teller” (2025)

Theo Von is a self-proclaimed “idiot.” His TIME bio describes him as a “good hang,” and he is. His show This Past Weekend includes conversations about school lunches, drugs, politics, and everything in between.

Although he has range, TIME whitewashes his influence:

Whether interviewing President Donald Trump or socialist streamer Hasan Piker on his popular podcast, This Past Weekend—has made him an unlikely conduit for regular Americans to learn about and engage with politics.

But for someone who claims to be open to learning new things, he’s hosted several antisemites and terror supporters without inviting on guests to challenge their perspectives or push back on their extreme views. Presenting politics like this is dangerous, particularly for those whose only exposure may come through this limited context.

For one, he’s hosted alt-right podcaster and political commentator Candace Owens, who claimed that “Israel controls the US through blackmail.”

Von has also given airtime to Ian Carroll, as did Rogan. Carroll is a known conspiracist who falsely claimed Jews were “behind 9/11.”

What’s more is that among his interviews, he has hosted conversations about “globalist elites” and “shadow control,” which is coded antisemitic language.

Hasan Piker: A “Bold Guide” (2025)

TIME says, “he is a polarizing figure who has been temporarily suspended by Twitch multiple times for his commentary, generating press far beyond the world of streaming. After every suspension, he’s back at it.”

Piker isn’t just an “activist” who unapologetically stands up for his beliefs. But if you didn’t know him, that’s what you would think after reading his “100” bio.

TIME reporter Meg Zukin erases what his commentary actually is: Jew hate.

For one, he mocked the brutal sexual violence carried out on October 7 by Hamas, and other terrorists who joined them in the attacks on Israelis. Piker said “it doesn’t matter if rapes happened.”

He has also called Zionists “sick freaks,” said Islamic terror group Hamas is the “lesser evil” compared to the IDF, “America deserved 9/11,” and referred to ultra-Orthodox Jews as “inbred.”

Piker is an antisemitic terror propagandist.

Motaz Azaiza: “The World’s Eyes and Ears” (2024)

TIME paints him as the “world’s eyes and ears” into Gaza, and even highlights the risks “journalists” face by Israel in Gaza and his bravery in continuing to bring his peoples’ stories to light.

More specifically, Azaiza posted videos of Hamas kidnapping Israelis into Gaza on October 7. One of his since-removed tweets also triumphantly showed Hamas terrorists inside Israel. The Arabic reads, “The Gazans entered the settlements!!!!!!!! With jeeps we see in the streets of Gaza.”

This alone is problematic enough to warrant more context on who he is.

Why did TIME ignore his terror-glorifying posts on October 7 and conveniently skip to the part in which he is apparently giving a voice to the voiceless?

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani: The “Peace Negotiator” (2024)

TIME described him as the ruler of a country performing an incredible “balancing act.”

In his dual role as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, has ridden point on the turbulent negotiations that so far have produced a weeklong cease-fire and the release of more than 100 hostages. In Qatar, host to both a massive U.S. air base and a Taliban office, balancing acts are a court tradition.

It’s jaw-dropping to just gloss over hosting Taliban officials in your country, and to mention the negotiation for hostages and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas without mentioning that Qatar funds terror and has been for many years, along with housing senior Hamas officials in its country. They aren’t balancing both sides — they have Israeli blood and Palestinian blood, for that matter, on their hands.

Muna and Mohammed El Kurd: World-Shifting “Sibling Activists” (2021)

Ex-TIME reporter Sanya Mansoor portrays the twins as inspirational activists who bring awareness to the struggle of Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

However, she ignores Mohammad’s baseless anti-Israel smears and obvious antisemitic tropes while inciting violence on social media, like when he called the IDF “sadistic and bloodthirsty” and boosted lies about Israel killing Palestinians to harvest their organs. Muna’s own antisemitic, terror-supporting content — like glorifying infamous Fatah-faction PLO terrorist Dalal al-Mughrabi — are left out.

When will TIME magazine stop sugar-coating terror supporters, antisemites and other problematic figures and start telling the whole truth?

The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.

The post Why Did TIME Magazine Select So Many Anti-Israel and Anti-Jewish Figures for Its ‘Creators’ List? first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece

Greek riot police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters near the port of Rhodes during a demonstration targeting an Israeli cruise ship. Photo: Screenshot

Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with Greek riot police on Monday on the island of Rhodes as they attempted to block an Israeli cruise ship from docking at the island’s main port.

The MS Crown Iris — operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime — was once again targeted by anti-Israel activists this week.

Demonstrations against the war in Gaza took place during the ship’s scheduled stop on the island, where more than 600 passengers were set to disembark.

According to videos circulating on social media, riot police can be seen confronting a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the dock, who shouted antisemitic slogans like “Freedom for Palestine.”

As authorities worked to control the crowd, tensions escalated and brief clashes broke out.

However, unlike a previous incident, passengers were able to disembark from the cruise ship without any major interruptions.

Last week, approximately 1,600 Israeli passengers expecting a peaceful stop on their cruise were unable to disembark from a ship docked on the island of Syros after a pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port, raising safety concerns.

Around 300 protesters had gathered at the dock to protest against the war in Gaza, while Syros Port Authority police guarded the area and intervened to prevent violence until the ship departed.

Amid the large anti-Israel protest, the cruise company chose to divert the ship to Limassol, Cyprus.

In videos circulating on social media, protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags and holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.

Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent incident appears to be just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.

Earlier this month in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”

The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.

When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.

The post Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel

US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.

“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”

Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls. 

Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.” 

Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”

The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.

“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”

Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift. 

Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)  and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.

 

The post Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany

An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen

On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.

The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.

Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.

Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.

“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”

The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).

Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.

On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”

On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”

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