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‘Completely IGNORANT!’ Israel critics ‘know nothing’ of October 7th, says Sylvan Adams
Businessman Sylvan Adams told GB News that many critics of Israel lack understanding of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, and said misinformation on social media contributes to hostility. Speaking at the Nova festival memorial, he also praised singer Boy George for publicly supporting Israel, saying he hoped other entertainers would follow his example.
Adams criticised the slogan “From the river to the sea”, which he described as genocidal, and said a “silent majority” in Western countries was being drowned out by protest groups and politicians afraid to challenge them. He warned that hostility could spread beyond Israel, citing recent unrest in several European countries; these claims and opinions were presented as Adams’s views.
In short
- Sylvan Adams says Israel’s critics lack knowledge of the 7 October attacks.
- He praised Boy George for speaking publicly in support of Israel.
- Adams warned that hostility could spread beyond Israel.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Adams’s argument may say that public debate about Israel should reckon fully with the 7 October attacks and the harm caused by false or misleading claims online. They may also view “From the river to the sea” as threatening Israel’s continued existence, and argue that people who oppose antisemitism should speak up even when doing so is politically difficult.
The case against
Critics may argue that knowledge of the 7 October attacks does not settle questions about Israel’s subsequent actions or Palestinians’ rights, and that criticism of Israeli policy should not be dismissed as ignorance. They may understand the slogan as a call for equal rights across the territory rather than the destruction of Israel, and caution that linking protests to wider unrest risks conflating peaceful dissent with violence.