The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) unequivocally condemns the recent opinion piece published in The New York Times, which inaccurately portrays the Hebrew language as a symbol of “far-right Israeli militarism.” Hebrew is an ancient language deeply rooted in Jewish history and culture, and it is spoken by individuals across various political ideologies in Israel and around the world. The New York Times has previously stood against language-based prejudices, making this article a glaring inconsistency in their editorial standards. Furthermore, the article’s focus on Hebrew, the language of the world’s only Jewish state, raises serious concerns about incitement to antisemitism.

We call upon The New York Times to rectify this misleading narrative and urge for a more balanced and accurate representation of the Hebrew language and its rich history.