Fair Or Foul: Marc Lamont Fired From CNN Immediately After His United Nations Speech On Israel Draws Outrage

December 01, 2018

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CNN Fired Marc Lamont Hill After Controversial Statements At The United Nations

According to NBC, CNN cut ties with Marc Lamont Hill after he made controversial statements about Israel and Palestine at the United Nations this past Thursday.

Hill faced heavy backlash after he called for countries to boycott and divest from Israel during his speech given for the U.N.’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” was the statement that ad groups up in arms as “river to the sea” phrase is code for the destruction of Israel often used by Hamas and groups bent on its destruction.

Hill took to twitter to clarify his statements:

Yesterday, I gave a speech at the UN in which I critiqued Israel’s polices and practices toward Palestinians. It’s baffling how people are not responding to the critique, but instead responding to things I didn’t actually say.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

In my speech, I talked about the need to return to the pre-1967 borders, to give full rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and to allow right of return. No part of this is a call to destroy Israel. It’s absurd on its face.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

I believe in full rights for all citizens. I believe in safety for all citizens. I believe in self-determination for all citizens. This is not an anti-Semitic position.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

While I have my own beliefs about one vs two state solutions (I prefer one), it is not my job as an outsider to decide for Palestinians or Israelis. Regardless of the resolution, however, Palestinians cannot be denied freedom, self-determination, or human rights.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

Unfortunately, we are in a moment where any critique of the Israeli government is called anti-Semitic. Any call for Palestinian freedom is seen as an attempt to diminish Israel freedom. This does not have to be, nor should it be, the case.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

I concluded my remarks with a call to free Palestine from river to sea. This means that all areas of historic Palestine —e.g., West Bank, Gaza, Israel— must be spaces of freedom, safety, and peace for Palestinians.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

I did not. I have not. And I would not. https://t.co/2Imr32XWws

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

I support Palestinian freedom. I support Palestinian self-determination. I am deeply critical of Israeli policy and practice.

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.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

My reference to “river to the sea” was not a call to destroy anything or anyone. It was a call for justice, both in Israel and in the West Bank/Gaza. The speech very clearly and specifically said those things. No amount of debate will change what I actually said or what I meant.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018

This isn’t a case of throwing rocks and hiding hands. I genuinely believe in the arguments and principles that I shared in the speech. I also genuinely want peace, freedom, and security for everyone. These are not competing ideals and values.

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 29, 2018