NEW YORK (AP) — CNN on Thursday parted ways with contributor Marc Lamont Hill after a speech the college professor made on Israel and Palestine at the United Nations.
A CNN spokesperson confirmed Hill is no longer under contract. The network did not give a reason, but the move comes amid objections to Hill’s speech by the Anti-Defamation League and other groups.
Hill, a professor of media studies at Temple University who had been a recurring political commentator on CNN, called for countries to boycott and divest from Israel in the Wednesday speech given for the UN’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
“We have an opportunity to not just offer solidarity in words but to commit to political action, grass-roots action, local action and international action that will give us what justice requires and that is a free Palestine from the river to the sea,” Hill said in the speech.
The ADL and others said the “river to the sea” phrase is code for the destruction of Israel often used by Hamas and groups bent on its destruction.
“Those calling for ‘from the river to the sea’ are calling for an end to the State of Israel,” the ADL’s Senior Vice President for International Affairs, Sharon Nazarian, said in a statement, adding that the annual event at the UN “promotes divisiveness and hate.”
Hill sent a series of tweets responding to his firing and defending his speech.
“My reference to ‘river to the sea’ was not a call to destroy anything or anyone,” Hill said on Twitter. “It was a call for justice, both in Israel and in the West Bank/Gaza. The speech very clearly and specifically said those things.”
“I support Palestinian freedom. I support Palestinian self-determination,” Hill tweeted, adding, “I 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.”
CNN is WRONG for firing Marc Lamont Hill!
Hill simply said what needed to be said! The Palenstein People are entitled to Human Rights too!
Besides, Hill is also entitled to his opinions. Rather than holding substantive discussions, CNN execs doesn’t want to have any debates on the subject at all.
But avoiding these discussions only brings forth more animosity and strife. Trump and his supporters bitch and moan about illegal immigrants crossing our borders, well look at the chaos happening in Central America. The crime and corruption running rampant everyday and hell, Ollie North is responsible for most of it. And the American government has ignored the conditions in Honduras, Guatemala, and what we have allowed Mexico to do as well.
We need to stop doing this shit! It’s not spreading Democracy, rather it’s causing ill will in pockets around the world. Folks we all need PEACE to survive, wherever that place happens to be!
This is total bull. It is not anti-Semitic to challenge Israel on its abominable treatment treatment of the Palestinian people.
This is wrong and short-sited.
Israel is only a few short steps away from becoming the Apartheid South-Africa of the 1970s and everyone knows it (especially within Israel.)
The current leaders of Israel will do anything to remain in power, no matter who it kills, Israeli’s and Palestinians alike.
Stating that out loud is Speaking Truth to Power, not being Anti-Semitic.
Speaking out against the actions of a government is not the same as bigotry.
Israel: The actual third rail of American politics.
Here in America we’ll call you a Nazi for lack of deference to Israel, but if you’re an actual Nazi, we’ll call you someone with a ‘different point of view’.