Emma Watson criticized for Palestinian solidarity

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gild Erdan on Monday rebuked Harry Potter star Emma Watson for expressing support for Palestinians on social media.

Watson posted an image on Instagram that read “Solidarity is a verb” with pro-Palestinian activists in the background.

Her caption, shared with her 64 million followers, referenced a quote by scholar and activist Sara Ahmed: “Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future. Solidarity involves commitment, and work.”

Erdan took to Twitter the day after the post, sharing a screenshot of Watson’s post with a condemning response, The Times of Israel (ToI) reported.

“Fiction may work in Harry Potter but it does not work in reality,” he wrote. 

Referencing Hamas, the de facto governing body in the Gaza Strip, and the controlling government body in the West Bank the Palestinian Authority (PA), Erdan further lashed out.

“If it did, the magic used in the wizarding world could eliminate the evils of Hamas (which oppresses women & seeks the annihilation of Israel) and the PA (which supports terror)."

Former Israeli envoy to the UN Danny Danon also criticized Watson via Twitter, branding her an antisemite, ToI reported.

Watson’s post and the responses come less than a week after Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz hosted PA President Mahmoud Abbas in his home.

While many right-wing oppositions parties criticized the meeting, Gantz pushed back and vowed to continue meeting the Palestinian Authority leader.