Carlson Sparks Controversy by Blaming Israel for Jihad Against the U.S.

For years, Israel has been at the center of heated debates about Middle East politics, but one argument that has lately emerged in public discourse is both historically inaccurate and unjust. Some commentators now suggest that modern jihadist terrorism against the United States and its allies exists because of America’s support for Israel. This claim is not only misleading it diverts attention from the real roots of Islamist terror.

Attributing global jihad to Israel’s existence ignores more than a millennium of documented Islamic warfare and obscures the theological motivations that have animated many jihadist movements. It also distorts the history of terrorism directed at the United States itself. Understanding this history is essential if we care about truth and global peace.

The claim goes something like this there was no problem with Islamist terrorism before Israel was established in 1948, so the Palestinian issue, and by extension the Jewish state, must be the cause. But that assertion collapses under scrutiny. The United States faced violent attacks from Muslim forces long before the 20th century. In the late 18th century, American sailors and merchants were seized by North African corsairs who explicitly cited Islamic law as justification for their actions. These were not isolated incidents; they triggered the creation of the U.S. Navy in 1798 to protect American interests and citizens from repeated raids. Islamic motivations in those attacks were clear and documented by the leaders of the time.

Some may argue this was not like the modern terrorism we think of today, but such distinctions are artificial. Violence driven by the belief that Islam entitles adherents to wage war against unbelievers is at the heart of both early corsair raids and later jihadist attacks. To assert that terrorism only began with the creation of Israel is to ignore the historical record and the lived experience of those who suffered violence long before 1948.

Critics also misunderstand the demographic context of the United States. It is true that before the late 20th century, there were relatively few Muslims living in America. This is one reason why the U.S. did not experience significant domestic Islamist attacks before the 1990s. But the absence of such incidents before certain dates does not mean there was no ideological motivation or history of violence it simply reflects population patterns. To focus narrowly on demographic changes while ignoring broader historical causes is to distort the truth.

When commentators suggesting that Islamist terrorism stems from Western involvement in the Middle East, they are echoing a long-standing argument against interventionism. While America’s military engagements in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere deserve critique on many grounds, claiming that such actions are the cause of all jihadist terrorism is a leap that conflates foreign policy with deeply rooted ideological imperatives. Jihadist groups have repeatedly stated their aims in religious terms, often citing texts and doctrines that call for expansion and conflict with non-believers. These theological elements cannot be dismissed as mere reactions to Western policy.

To be clear, questioning specific U.S. foreign policy decisions is valid. Debates about strategy, human rights, and diplomacy are essential in any healthy democracy. But suggesting that the existence of Israel is the primary root cause of extremist terror against America and its allies is historically unfounded and dangerously misleading. It feeds into long-standing antisemitic tropes that blame Jews for conflicts and violence they did not instigate. Such narratives have no place in honest analysis.

Israel, as a democratic nation surrounded by hostile actors, has faced its own share of terrorism and war. Israelis have defended their homeland against threats that seek to delegitimize and destroy it. Linking the actions of violent extremists exclusively to support for Israel ignores the complex interplay of ideology, politics, and religion that motivates jihadist groups. Worse, it unjustly makes Jewish people and the Jewish state a scapegoat for a phenomenon with much deeper, much older origins.

When discussing terrorism and global security, precision matters. We must distinguish between legitimate criticism of policies and arguments that veer into conspiracy or prejudice. History demands that we acknowledge the real roots of conflicts so that solutions can be built on fact, not distortion.

Israel remains a vibrant, innovative, and essential partner in the fight against terrorism and extremism. Its contributions to global security, technology, medicine, and culture are well known and widely respected. Standing with truth means rejecting simplistic explanations that unfairly blame one nation or people for centuries of global challenges.