--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot criticize Israel in this…" description: "\"“You cannot criticize Israel in this country (USA) and survive”\" — Helen Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg" --- # You cannot criticize Israel in this country (USA) and… ![“You cannot criticize Israel in this country (USA) and survive” quote by Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg) > ““You cannot criticize Israel in this country (USA) and survive”” [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizing Israel within the U.S. can provoke severe social and professional repercussions, reflecting intense political polarization. **In simple terms:** Criticizing Israel in the US is risky. Key Takeaway Consider consequences before speaking. Themes politics free speech risk Mood cautious reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - journalism - activism - public discourse Key Concepts censorship social pressure Questions to Reflect On - What are safe ways to discuss controversial topics? - How does political climate affect discourse? A Different Perspective Freedom of expression may be suppressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [War crimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-crimes/) ## Related quotes > [I hit the third rail. You cannot criticize Israel in this country and survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-hit-the-third-rail-you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-country-and/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I'm just tired of people saying I'm a self-hating Jew because I'm critical of Israel or make fun of old Jewish ladies. I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-m-just-tired-of-people-saying-i-m-a-self-hating-jew-because-i-m/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [No matter who you are, no matter what greatness you've achieved in your life or what gifts you've given to the rest of humanity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-abulhawa/no-matter-who-you-are-no-matter-what-greatness-you-ve-achieved-in/) [Susan Abulhawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-abulhawa/) > [“It's not anti-semitic to criticize Israel, but it's the most socially acceptable pastime of anti-semites.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annoymous/it-s-not-anti-semitic-to-criticize-israel-but-it-s-the-most-socially/) Annoymous > [“Democrats can cackle all they want about the gaffe-prone Romney’s elitist cultural insensitivity in Jerusalem. Their hero Obama is no more willing to acknowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-street/democrats-can-cackle-all-they-want-about-the-gaffe-prone-romney-s/) Paul Street > [Every time I criticize the anti-Zionists, they say, 'You are trying to silence us.' I don't deny there are some people who are critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/every-time-i-criticize-the-anti-zionists-they-say-you-are-trying-to/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [We are the only people on Earth asked to guarantee the security of our occupier...while Israel is the only country that calls for defense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanan-ashrawi/we-are-the-only-people-on-earth-asked-to-guarantee-the-security-of/) [Hanan Ashrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanan-ashrawi/) > [Israel can't be the only country in the Western world not to have freedom of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-lapid/israel-can-t-be-the-only-country-in-the-western-world-not-to-have/) [Yair Lapid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-lapid/) > [Israel is a country of six million people. They need the U.S. It used to be bipartisan on Israeli politics. You never messed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/israel-is-a-country-of-six-million-people-they-need-the-u-s-it-used/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Israel is still the only country in the world against which there is a written document to the effect that it must disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/israel-is-still-the-only-country-in-the-world-against-which-there-is/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [Israel is a country and should exist. And a country by the name of Palestine should be made. Two different governments of Palestine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/israel-is-a-country-and-should-exist-and-a-country-by-the-name-of/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [And by the way, a piece of news, Israel is the one country in which everyone is pro-American, opposition and coalition alike. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/and-by-the-way-a-piece-of-news-israel-is-the-one-country-in-which/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [Israel is the only country in the world that is ready to make compromises - even though it did not lose any wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/israel-is-the-only-country-in-the-world-that-is-ready-to-make/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [Israel is a country that respects freedom - freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pataki/israel-is-a-country-that-respects-freedom-freedom-of-assembly-freedom/) [George Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pataki/) > [Israel is a country with a thriving free press and a nation known across the world for its support of women's and LGBT rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-rosen/israel-is-a-country-with-a-thriving-free-press-and-a-nation-known/) [Jacky Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-rosen/) ## More by Helen Thomas > [I never thought about heaven per se. I think when you're dead, you're dead. If anything happens after that, you just hope you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-never-thought-about-heaven-per-se-i-think-when-you-re-dead-you-re/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [President Bush has asserted the right to wiretap and eavesdrop on any American without a warrant in the name of fighting terrorism. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/president-bush-has-asserted-the-right-to-wiretap-and-eavesdrop-on-any/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I'm of Arab background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-m-of-arab-background/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Anybody who runs for public office today has got to know his life or her life will be an open book. I've decided that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/anybody-who-runs-for-public-office-today-has-got-to-know-his-life-or/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [There are better ways we can transform this virulent hatred - by living our ideals, the Peace Corps, exchange students, teachers, exporting our music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/there-are-better-ways-we-can-transform-this-virulent-hatred-by-living/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I think I'll work all my life. When you're having fun, why stop having fun?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-think-i-ll-work-all-my-life-when-you-re-having-fun-why-stop-having/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [American journalism's crazy old aunt in the attic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/american-journalism-s-crazy-old-aunt-in-the-attic/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“Today, because of the immediacy of the live TV appearance with the direct quote, the presidency seems hamstrung with governing by polls and turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/today-because-of-the-immediacy-of-the-live-tv-appearance-with-the/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Maybe the Jefferson case will give members of Congress second thoughts the next time they get ready to legislate away the rights of ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/maybe-the-jefferson-case-will-give-members-of-congress-second/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I'm a liberal, I was born a liberal, I'll be one 'til I die, what else should a reporter be when you see so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-m-a-liberal-i-was-born-a-liberal-i-ll-be-one-til-i-die-what-else/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [If you want to be President, decide it at the age of five, and then live accordingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/if-you-want-to-be-president-decide-it-at-the-age-of-five-and-then/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [We are the only institution in our society that can question a president on a regular basis and make him accountable. Otherwise, he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/we-are-the-only-institution-in-our-society-that-can-question-a/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I had a lot of fun bantering back and forth with Kennedy. But for ease and comfort, it would be Gerald Ford. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-had-a-lot-of-fun-bantering-back-and-forth-with-kennedy-but-for-ease/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“Anybody in public life is well aware of how important the judgments of the press are. I'm firmly convinced that if the good Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/anybody-in-public-life-is-well-aware-of-how-important-the-judgments/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [All presidents rail against the press. It goes with the turf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/all-presidents-rail-against-the-press-it-goes-with-the-turf/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) [Explore all 95 Helen Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You cannot criticize Israel in this country (USA) and survive”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-country-usa-and-survive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-country-usa-and-survive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/636/helen-thomas-7044_america_you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-coun_2621858.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot criticize Israel in this country (USA) and survive” — Helen Thomas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Helen Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You cannot criticize Israel in this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-country-usa-and-survive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-country-usa-and-survive/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```