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CNN Fires Marc Lamont Hill After Israel Comments

Yesterday, in a speech before the United Nations, CNN commentator and Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill advocated for armed resistance against Israel, stating that a free Palestine should be expanded โ€œfrom the river to the sea,โ€ a phrase popular with opponents of Israelโ€™s statehood. Suggested Reading ‘Sinners’ Releases in Black American Sign Language. Here’s…

Yesterday, in a speech before the United Nations, CNN commentator and Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill advocated for armed resistance against Israel, stating that a free Palestine should be expanded โ€œfrom the river to the sea,โ€ a phrase popular with opponents of Israelโ€™s statehood.

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After his speech, he clarified on Twitter.

โ€œI support Palestinian freedom. I support Palestinian self-determination. I am deeply critical of Israeli policy and practice,โ€ he said. โ€œI do not support anti-Semitism, killing Jewish people, or any of the other things attributed to my speech. I have spent my life fighting these things.โ€

In response, the National Council of Young Israel called for his ouster.

โ€œWith his racist views and unabashed denigration of Israel, Dr. Hill does not deserve to be given any sort of platform that facilitates the dissemination of his bigotry, whether it be on Cable TV or in a classroom.โ€

โ€œIn light of Dr. Hillโ€™s malevolent anti-Semitic remarks, we call upon CNN and Temple University to fire him immediately,โ€ the statement continued.

Sharon Nazarian, the Anti-Defamation Leagueโ€™s senior vice president for international affairs, condemned Hillโ€™s words.

โ€œThose calling for โ€˜from the river to the seaโ€™ are calling for an end to the State of Israel,โ€ Nazarian told the Jewish Journal.

Today, CNN announced Hill, who also hosted a show on BET, โ€œis no longer under contract with CNN,โ€ per a spokespersonโ€™s email.

Hill has come under fire for his anti-Israel comments in the past and has been labeled anti-Semitic by opponents online. His use of the โ€œfrom the river to the seaโ€ phrase is especially troubling: Itโ€™s been one of Hamasโ€™ slogans for years.

Still, his ouster saw an outpouring of support from pundits and commentators, many of them pointing out CNNโ€™s decision to keep personalities with anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim rhetoric.

https://twitter.com/Rowaida_Abdel/status/1068251110807351303
https://twitter.com/saladinahmed/status/1068258295100686337

Hill, for his part, has defended his words in a series of tweets, pointing to the historical significance of the phrase in question:

https://twitter.com/marclamonthill/status/1068174975977308160
https://twitter.com/marclamonthill/status/1068175273428992000
https://twitter.com/marclamonthill/status/1068238076252745728

While, ultimately, reaffirming his original speech:

https://twitter.com/marclamonthill/status/1068239416823635969

Temple University could not be reached for comment.

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