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Jim Berk, the CEO of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, has delivered a savage blow to Mark Ruffalo over “demonization” and ‘antisemitic” remarks.
For those unaware, Ruffalo has been accused of antisemitism by Paramount and advocacy groups like the Creative Community for Peace after he criticized Paramount’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. The actor linked studio backers Larry and David Ellison to Oracle’s military technology contracts with Israel, using terms such as “apartheid” and “genocide.” He also raised concerns over editorial independence, job losses, and corporate consolidation.
In response, Berk issued a statement to Deadline, saying, “Words matter, and so does the willingness to draw a line when legitimate debate gives way to antisemitic tropes.”
“We commend Paramount for speaking clearly and refusing to allow prejudice to masquerade as political or corporate criticism. At a time when antisemitism is too often minimized, rationalized or repackaged in more socially acceptable language, this kind of moral clarity matters.”
“Invoking Israel in an issue where it is completely irrelevant is a textbook case of obsession and demonization. Paramount was right to call it out,” Berk concluded.
Responding to The Avengers star’s statement, Paramount also stated, “We are, as always, troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute.”
“Words like ‘genocide’ and ‘apartheid,’ applied to a corporate transaction, aren’t just wrong — they’re a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe,” the spokesperson quipped.
It is pertinent to mention that Mark Ruffalo has dismissed the allegations, calling them “fundamentally dishonest” and “appalling,” clarifying that he did not target Jewish people in his statement.
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