As Gaza dominates headlines, Sri Lankan politics is quietly nurturing anti-Semitic rhetoric under the guise of pro-Palestinian activism. From fabricated conspiracies to silence on Hamas terror, the seeds of hatred are being sown, raising urgent questions about ideology, accountability, and Sri Lanka’s international standing.
The debate on Palestine and Israel has always had echoes in Sri Lankan politics, but recent developments reveal a troubling trend: the creeping normalization of anti-Semitic rhetoric. Pro-Palestinian activism, long part of the island’s political culture, has in some quarters morphed into something darker, aligning itself with global Islamist extremism and seeking to influence domestic politics in ways that could prove costly.
This shift was underscored by the controversy surrounding a group of Sri Lankan journalists returning from Israel, an event that sparked outrage among certain politicians and activists. The anger was not merely about travel but about Israel itself, with critics labeling the journalists as traitors and agents. These reactions highlighted that anti-Semitic sentiment, once thought foreign to Sri Lanka, is now finding fertile ground locally.
Before the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, it was unimaginable to many that ISIS could orchestrate such a deadly strike in Sri Lanka. Yet, under the leadership of Mohamed Zahran Hashim, it happened. Those attacks remain one of the deadliest terrorist incidents worldwide since 9/11, exposing the vulnerability of Sri Lanka to global extremist ideologies. The lesson from that tragedy is clear: ignoring ideological extremism, whether Islamist or anti-Semitic, can have devastating consequences. Observers warn that overlooking anti-Semitism as a growing political tool in Sri Lanka is a similar mistake. To dismiss it as irrelevant or “imported” is to underestimate its power as part of a global narrative that legitimizes extremist positions.
Pro-Palestinian advocacy has long been used by Sri Lanka’s political parties, often as a badge of solidarity with the wider Global South. Yet increasingly, that activism appears closely linked with sympathy for Hamas, a group internationally recognized as a terrorist organization. Supporters argue that Sri Lankans cannot be anti-Semitic because anti-Semitism is defined in European history as hostility towards Jews as a religious and cultural group. They claim that in South Asia, political support for Palestine is disconnected from hatred of Jews. But this is disingenuous. Opposition to Jewish institutions such as the Chabad House in Colombo or hostility toward Israeli tourists are clear markers of anti-Semitic undercurrents. The overlap of pro-Palestinian sentiment with anti-Jewish rhetoric cannot be ignored. Critics who insist otherwise dismiss uncomfortable truths with accusations of Islamophobia.
Sri Lanka recognized the state of Israel as early as 1949, but relations have always been marked by fluctuation. J.R. Jayewardene was an exception, actively pursuing ties with Israel and supporting the establishment of an Israeli interest office in Colombo. Yet, since then, pro-Palestinian politics has become a staple of the mainstream, from Tamil parties to leftist groups. The reluctance of successive governments, including the current National People’s Power (NPP) government, to build closer cooperation with Israel is shaped by this history. This pattern raises a strategic question: does Sri Lanka intend to handle the present Gaza crisis with the same logic as its Cold War-era support for the PLO? Non-alignment once gave Colombo diplomatic cover, but repeating that formula may no longer be viable in a world where Hamas atrocities and Islamist extremism are under global scrutiny.
A dangerous new dimension has emerged. Some Muslim politicians and Eastern Province leaders have promoted fabricated stories linking Jews to Sri Lankan affairs. A notorious example is the false claim that Jewish people were plotting to “occupy” Arugam Bay, a key tourist hub. Spread in language reminiscent of Goebbels’ propaganda, such disinformation is less about Palestine and more about sowing resentment and mistrust of Jews. Opposition politicians have also jumped on this bandwagon, targeting the NPP government and accusing it of collusion with Israel. These actions reveal how anti-Semitic narratives are being deliberately cultivated in local politics.
The silence of Sri Lankan political and religious leaders on the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks is particularly telling. That day, more than 1,200 men, women, and children, including 46 Americans and citizens of over 30 countries—were massacred in Israel, the deadliest single-day attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Even the Saudi religious establishment condemned Hamas, with Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa of the Muslim World League declaring the October 7 killings a crime. Yet, in Sri Lanka, many political voices remained silent. Instead, politicians such as Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem turned their outrage toward Israel. He condemned “Operation Rising Lion,” Israel’s campaign against Iran, calling it a “burial action” and accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of leading a genocidal agenda. At no point did Hakeem condemn Hamas for slaughtering civilians. Later, when Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar, Hakeem again criticized the NPP government for alleged collusion with Netanyahu, but he avoided acknowledging Hamas terror. If refusing to condemn such brutality is not evidence of anti-Semitism, then what is?
During a recent visit to Israel, including the massacre site near Kibbutz Re’im, the author observed a palpable sense of national determination. Israelis feel an obligation to prevent October 7 from ever happening again. This sense of duty fuels their campaign to eliminate Hamas, despite the undeniable toll of civilian casualties in Gaza. As one Israeli officer noted, “War is ugly, and its consequences are troubling.” Israel sees itself as fighting a war it did not choose but one forced upon it by Hamas. Yet in Sri Lanka, discourse about Gaza rarely acknowledges this perspective. Instead, the debate is shaped by an anti-Israeli lens that blurs the line between legitimate solidarity with Palestinians and outright hostility toward Jews.
If the pro-Palestinian narrative in Sri Lanka continues to evolve unchecked, it will do more than express sympathy for Gaza. It risks embedding anti-Semitism into mainstream politics. By equating criticism of Hamas with betrayal, and by labeling dissenters as Mossad agents, local actors are normalizing a dangerous ideology. In political terms, anti-Semitism, anti-Jewish rhetoric, and anti-Israel activism converge into a single ideology. Each reinforces the other, eroding the distinction between support for Palestine and outright prejudice against Jews.
Sri Lanka’s engagement with Palestine has always carried political symbolism, but today, the rhetoric risks aligning the country with extremist ideologies that the world increasingly condemns. Silence on Hamas atrocities, fabricated conspiracies about Jews in Sri Lanka, and hostility toward Israelis and Jews are not signs of principled foreign policy. They are markers of anti-Semitism. The lesson is clear: ignoring anti-Semitism, like ignoring the extremist ideologies that enabled the Easter Sunday bombings, could have dire consequences. The challenge for Sri Lanka is whether it will confront these narratives with honesty or allow them to shape its politics under the guise of solidarity.
