Journalist Jeff Goldberg announced that he may stop reading Haaretz. Image by William B. Plowman (Getty)

U.S. journalist Jeffrey Goldberg stirred up a media dust storm in Israel after he tweeted that he might give up reading Haaretz.

“I think I’m getting ready to leave Ha’aretz behind, actually,” Goldberg tweeted, including a link to an article in the left-leaning Israeli daily written by two American-Jewish historians who discuss why they have “left Zionism behind.”

Goldberg, a correspondent for The Atlantic who writes frequently about Israel and Middle East affairs, added in a second tweet: “I like a lot of the people at Haaretz, and many of its positions, but the cartoonish anti-Israelism and anti-Semitism can be grating.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

He also dismissed the English-language daily Jerusalem Post, calling it “nuts,” and saying it as well as Haaretz share a “weakness for sinat hinam,” or baseless hatred.

Journalists at both newspapers called Goldberg out over his criticism.

In response to Anshel Pfeffer at Haaretz, Goldberg tweeted: “Look, when neo-Nazis are emailing me links to Haaretz op-eds declaring Israel to be evil, I’m going to take a break, sorry.”

That tweet referenced a column by long-time columnist and critic of Israel Gideon Levy titled, “Stop living in denial, Israel is an evil state.”

Among those apparently pleased by Goldberg’s criticism of Haaretz was Israeli government minister Gilad Erdan, a member of the Knesset for the ruling Likud Party. He retweeted Goldberg’s reference to Levy with his own tweet reading “Wow, there are no words.” Goldberg, who has written critically of the left and right in Israel, responded: “Thanks for the retweet, but I’d prefer it if you spent more time protecting democracy in Israel.”

Erdan responded. “I can do both. Criticizing Haaretz is part of it.”

Seth Frantzman, a Jerusalem Post editor in a tweet threatened to sue Goldberg for slander, calling Goldberg’s sinat hinam tweet “an attack on my reputation and me personally,” leading Goldberg to suggest that Frantzman stop following him.

The Haaretz oped, “We’re American Jewish Historians. This Is Why We’ve Left Zionism Behind,” co-written by Hasia Diner, a prominent professor of American Jewish history at New York University, and Marjorie N. Feld, a professor of history at Babson College. In it, Diner asserts that “the exponential growth of far right political parties and the increasing Haredization of Israel, makes it a place that I abhor visiting, and to which I will contribute no money, whose products I will not buy, nor will I expend my limited but still to me, meaningful, political clout to support it.”

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount