‘MAGA Hats and People With Pride Flags’: ADL’s Greenblatt Says Massive March Shows America More ‘United’ on Israel ‘Than You Might Think’

CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League Jonathan Greenblatt on Wednesday praised the bipartisan nature of the massive March for Israel this week for showing “that America is more united on this issue than you might think.”

On Tuesday, the largest pro-Israel demonstration since the savage Hamas terror attack in October took place on the National Mall. The enormous rally and demonstration included testimonials from the families of hostages taken by terror group Hamas in that attack, and featured speakers from both sides of the aisle including Republican Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson and Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer. Actress Debra Messing, musician Matisyahu, pundit and CNN contributor Van Jones, and many others were also part of gigantic event.

Speaking with the Morning Joe hosts on MSNBC Wednesday, Greenblatt said the March was “energizing and inspiring” and an important thing for members of Congress to see. The Senate on Tuesday blocked an Israel aid bill passed by the House in a bipartisan vote earlier this month.

Co-host Mika Brzezinski began by asking Greenblatt about the message the March will send across the country “where the hatred seems to be just cropping up worse than we could have ever imagined.”

“I’m glad we’re talking about the march that took place yesterday. But, the one thing I would say is, it wasn’t tens of thousands, Mika. It was hundreds of thousands of people on the Mall. I heard upwards of 300,000,” said Greenblatt.

He talked then about the wide swath of Americans represented at the rally in support of Israel and its right to defend itself.

“We should note, these were Jews and non-Jews. These were Republicans and Democrats,” he said. “I saw people with MAGA hats and people with pride flags. I mean, where else in America today could you see something like that?”

“And by the way, you saw Israeli flags and American flags. They sang the national anthem and Hatikvah,” he continued. “I mean, again, it was not just pro-Israel. It was pro-America. And I just contrast this with the images I’ve seen, the video I’ve seen of people wearing masks and tearing down American flags in New York City.”

The ADL leader said it was “a message that the Jewish community is united on this issue, that the vast majority of us stand with Israel and stand against antisemitism, that America is more united on this issue than you might think.”

Although many Democrats attended and spoke at the rally, including House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, neither President Joe Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris appeared, prompting criticism on Fox & Friends.

Greenblatt did not echo that criticism, instead pointing out that the Biden administration has been incredibly supportive of Israel and its efforts against Hamas.

“We’re going to keep thanking the Biden administration for what they’ve done and push them to continue to stand with the American people and to stand with the people of Israel,” he said.

In answer to a question from co-host Willie Geist, Greenblatt also blasted the anti-Israel marches on college campuses by comparison, saying they show “hate” and end up with arrests rather than the peaceful demonstration on Tuesday.

BRZEZINSKI: The march was important yesterday. But will it send a message to different pockets of even this country where the hatred seems to be just cropping up, worse than we could have ever imagined?

GREENBLATT: Well, Mika, I think it’s a good question, and I’m glad we’re talking about the march that took place yesterday. But, the one thing I would say is it wasn’t tens of thousands, Mika. It was hundreds of thousands of people on the mall. I heard upwards of 300,000. And we should note, these were Jews and non-Jews. These were Republicans and Democrats. I saw people with MAGA hats and people with pride flags. I mean, where else in America today —

BRZEZINSKI: Right.

GREENBLATT: — could you see something like that? And by the way, you saw Israeli flags and American flags. They sang the national anthem and Hatikvah. I mean, again, it was not just pro-Israel. It was pro-America. And I just contrast this with the images I’ve seen, the video I’ve seen of people wearing masks and tearing down American flags —

BRZEZINSKI: Yes.

GREENBLATT: — in New York City. Right? So, this was energizing and inspiring. And I think it was a message that the Jewish community is united on this issue, that the vast majority of us stand with Israel and stand against antisemitism, that America is more united on this issue than you might think. I mean, again, there were so many people there who weren’t Jewish. It was good for Congress to see that. And it’s good for the country to see that kind of unity on this important issue.

GEIST: Jonathan, good morning. Thanks for being with us again. We should say Rachel Goldberg, who we saw there, she was on our show yesterday. What an extraordinary voice she has been through this, as her son, her 23-year-old son is held inside of Gaza. You mentioned it wasn’t just Jewish people out there. When you have a couple of hundred thousand, I think it was an important message probably to the country and the world that actually the numbers are big, that most — 99.9 percent of decent people with a shred of humanity are not tearing down posters of children who have been kidnapped.

GREENBLATT: Yes.

GEIST: Were you heartened by what you saw yesterday, and how do you carry that forward to continue to fight antisemitism?

GREENBLATT: Well, look, that’s a great question. I mean, it was incredibly hard. I mean, there has been so much darkness. And you talked about Rachel and the Goldberg-Polin family, so much darkness, I think about these babies, as young as nine months, and the three-year-old children and the elderly and disabled, held, bound, and gagged in tunnels.

It is indefensible to think that on college campuses they’re tearing down these posters and to think that in public places there is chanting “river to the sea.” And yet, I am so energized by yesterday. It was amazing to kind of show of unity again you so rarely see. And again, no one is wearing masks. Everyone is holding hands. No one was arrested. It was peaceful and joyous, despite the danger at this moment.

So, how do we carry it forward? Look, I’ll tell you what, number one, we’re going to keep thanking the Biden administration for what they’ve done and push them to continue to stand with the American people and to stand with the people of Israel. I think number two, same for Congress, get that bill passed so Israel gets the aid that it needs. And I’m testifying before House Ways and Means today about what to do about that tsunami of antisemitism on our college campuses.

And then, again, push university administrators to finally find their backbone, Willie. Who can imagine a world in which they sit by while their students are denigrated and insulted and threatened?

Now, there have been some good news. George Washington University just suspended one of the worst actors, a group called “Students for Justice in Palestine.” Columbia suspended them as well. Brandeis suspended as well. And it should be clear. This isn’t about abrogating freedom of speech. The freedom of expression isn’t the right to freedom to incite violence. And if you do that, there should be consequences. I’m glad some university presidents are finally getting the message.

Watch the clip above, via MSNBC.