Steven Spielberg has denounced the global upsurge of antisemitism, and made his first direct comments about Israel’s military action in Gaza, in a speech marking the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the USC Shoah Foundation.
In remarks reported by Deadline, Spielberg said: “Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. I am increasingly alarmed that we may be condemned to repeat history – to once again have to fight for the very right to be Jewish.”
He added: “The echoes of history are unmistakable in our current climate. The rise of extremist views has created a dangerous environment, and radical intolerance leads a society to no longer celebrate differences but instead conspire to demonise those who are different to the point of creating ‘the Other’… This is happening alongside anti-Muslim, Arab, and Sikh discrimination. The creation of ‘the Other’ and the dehumanisation of any group based on their differences, is the foundation of fascism.”
Spielberg also directly addressed the current conflict in Gaza for the first time, saying: “We can rage against the heinous acts committed by the terrorists of October 7th and also decry the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza.”
One of Hollywood’s most prominent Jewish figures, Spielberg has largely avoided making overt statements about the Gaza conflict. In December he was quoted in a Shoah Foundation statement about the 7 October massacre by Hamas – which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, mass rapes and the taking of around 253 hostages – saying: “I never imagined I would see such unspeakable barbarity against Jews in my lifetime.” Spielberg has not signed the open letter criticising Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar acceptance speech.
Shortly after completing the Holocaust drama Schindler’s List, Spielberg established the Shoah Foundation in 1994 with the express purpose of recording the testimony of Holocaust survivors, and it moved to the University of Southern California in 2006.
• This article was amended on 26 March 2024. An earlier version said around 130 hostages were taken by Hamas on 7 October. That is the estimated number of hostages remaining in Gaza; Israeli authorities calculate that 253 people were abducted.
