Nov 17, 2023
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on, splits over the issue are appearing among prominent voices on the right, which has traditionally shown the most unified and ardent support for Israel.
In recent weeks, there has been a very public feud between conservative commentator Candace Owens, host of The Candace Owens Show, and her The Daily Wire boss Ben Shapiro.
It comes at the same time the war in the Middle East has laid bare deep divisions on the left, with the Democratic establishment increasingly facing searing criticism for its pro-Israel stance from younger progressives who are predominantly pro-Palestinian. As well as widespread demonstrations, U.S. President Joe Biden has faced appeals to call for a ceasefire and accusations of being complicit in a genocide from his own congressional allies.
But while the left-wing split over the Israel-Hamas war appears centered on a pre-existing ideological difference between support for Israel or Palestine, one expert suggested the divisions on the right were linked to tensions over whether America ought to be a geopolitical leader or taking a more isolationist stance.
“Republican views in general (not just MAGA) are more diverse than they seem on the surface,” Julie Norman, a professor of politics at University College London, whose research focuses on the U.S. and Middle East, told Newsweek.
Owens has recently drawn criticism from other conservatives over her comments seemingly regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. While she later said she had not been referring to any specific nation, earlier in November Owens stated that “no government anywhere has a right to commit genocide,” an accusation that has been leveled at Israel which it and the White House have denied.
To date, an estimated 1,200 Israelis have been killed, mostly in Hamas attacks on October 7, according to the Associated Press, while the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says 11,200 Palestinians have died in subsequent Israeli airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza, the AP reports.
On Tuesday, Owens posted to X, formerly Twitter, two biblical quotes from Matthew, including “blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,” and “you cannot serve both God and money.”
Shapiro, who is Jewish and who has expressed staunchly pro-Israel views, took exception to the post, writing in response that “if you feel that taking money from The Daily Wire somehow comes between you and God, by all means quit.” Owens called him “utterly out of line” and accused him of behaving “unhinged for weeks now.”
Shapiro was later captured on video criticizing Owens further. Asked about the video and the frank exchange of views by Tucker Carlson, she said the two “have many disagreements,” including over the COVID vaccine and America’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing Russian invasion.
Since Israel began its latest campaign in Gaza, there have been pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the globe, including on many U.S. college campuses, which in some cases have spilled over into expressions of support for Hamas’ actions and overt antisemitic threats.
In October, when Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy described the students involved as “simple fools” endorsing “boneheadedly wrong ideas” but said they should not be blacklisted for doing so, Fox News host Megyn Kelly reacted with incredulity.
Owens sided with Ramaswamy, writing that “college kids are stupid.”
That particular disagreement speaks to a wider tension among conservatives on the limits of free speech, but it was Owens and Shapiro’s prior divergence over Ukraine that may suggest why these splits are beginning to show over Israel.
While she could not comment on interpersonal feuds, Norman said: “Most [GOP] policymakers are vocally in lockstep with Israel, but the more isolationist wing of the party doesn’t want to get pulled in further to an unpredictable conflict in the Middle East, and some voters are wary of increasing foreign aid in general, even to long-standing allies like Israel.
“This is a bit different than the seeming ‘pro-Israel’ v. ‘pro-Palestine’ split that we see in the Democratic Party, and more a reflection of the competing tensions in the GOP between ‘America as Global Leader’ v. ‘America First’ perspectives,” she added.
https://www.newsweek.com/israel-tearing-maga-apart-candace-owens-ben-shapiro-1844740
MAGA is a lie. It’s a big farce.
America doesn’t need to be made great again. America is already great. Even if not, those who want to make America great again would do the complete opposite.
Early today I commented that labels don’t appear to be indicative of policy direction. I stand corrected. Those who identify as MAGA are actually Trumper Asswipes. What US citizen doesn’t want America to continue to be great unfortunately MAGA feel it is their way or no way. There’s doesn’t seem to be any reasoning with these individuals.
If only all – or most – of their fans would use their own brains for once to see the truth in their destructiveness.
Many Ukrainians are pro Trump. I gather you’re not Ukrainian.
Can you prove that? I know nobody in Ukraine who is.
He means the ones like himself: pre-2014 putinaZi passport holders.
Either that or he’s as mad as a shithouse rat.
We are conservative by nature in Ukraine. Not liberal
If America is so great, how on earth did they elect Joe Biden as President?
No one ever said that we’re perfect.
Can’t argue with that. But the apple does not fall far from the tree, who voted for the idiot
Those who wanted him to be POTUS.
Owens is a handsome black woman with horrible nazi views. The things she has said about Zel are as vile as any kremtroll.
Shapiro wobbled but came out eventually as a good supporter of Ukraine.
The only “brand name” MAGA tribalist who is pro-Ukraine is Mark Levin, a good guy who worked for Ron Reagan back in the day. The rest of the media MAGA’s are scum.
I didn’t realize that Mark Levin was pro Ukraine. Good to know. Thank you.
It sounds like you really don’t know, who is so called MAGA and who is not.
Are you a Biden voter?
Are you?
He only appears when the word Trump is used in a comment. 🤣
He sure loves the orange one, for some strange reason.
No, but I know we weren’t invaded during his time, unlike Biden and Obama
That doesn’t mean anything at all.
I always appear for that, as I am at a loss for words, where you were during 2014, when we needed the West’s help
In Kyiv, where were you?
I support Trump in America and Milei in Argentina.
Why do you support Trump? Haven’t you heard what he said, concerning Ukraine?
He has posted a number of outspoken videos on the subject. He is Jewish and of course hates putler.
One of the saddest things is a video he did one year ago in which he quoted from polls that demonstrated overwhelming support from the US public towards Ukraine.
This has now evaporated on the Republican side due to the relentless efforts of Trumpkov and Karlsonov.
I am Orthodox Christian. Jews are mainly from Uman and east, I was born in Lvivshchyna