New York Public Library faces backlash over Benjamin Moser event

The New York Public Library is facing backlash following a September 22 event at its Stephen A. Schwarzman Building featuring author Benjamin Moser. During the session, which served as a platform for his book, “Anti-Zionism, a Jewish History,” Moser compared Israel to a “dog shelter” that receives support from American Jews without deep connections to the country.

Moser, a Pulitzer Prize winner, criticized pro-Israel supporters and accused them of creating hysteria regarding Jewish safety in America. He also stated that the leadership of most major American Jewish institutions has supported the actions in Gaza, which he characterized as genocide.

The event included an interview by retired Columbia University history professor Rashid Khalidi. Observers noted a lack of counterpoints to Moser’s views, as Khalidi, also an anti-Zionist, engaged in a discussion that largely expressed agreement with the author’s perspectives.