Coworker said Israel shouldn’t exist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absolutely not OK. Can you imagine if that coworker said something against blacks, Hispanics, or worse, if he were white and said discriminatory and racist things against any other race. It’s not OK just because he said something against Jewish people.

He didn’t say something with against Jewish people. He said something against another country.

Really dumb and inappropriate to state that at work, but also not appropriate to equate people with countries.

Please. If someone said something during a dinner with Muslim colleagues about how Hamas committed atrocities on 10/7, it would not be appropriate either even though it's true and the coworker is of course not Hamas. Bringing up anything about this current war in a work context especially around Muslim or Jewish coworkers is a shitty move meant to antagonize or hurt.

This is the most important piece. In the workplace, we need to try not to traumatize and hurt one another. This sometimes means keeping our own counsel.

On the other hand, the co-worker here is watching a real time genocide. I'd argue the onus is on everyone around him to show some grace as he watches his countrypeople (and possibly family) starve to death and be bombed.

HR can handle this and recommend and provide the employee with resources to help him handle the stress, WITHOUT burdening his coworkers. If he is struggling to maintain professionalism, which is understandable, he needs support/intervention before it escalates into a bigger headache for the organization.

Many people would consider silencing someone who opposes Israel as oppression. Are people not allowed to speak up in the face of genocide. Israel is committing a holocaust. What should the cost be to Israel for committing a Holocaust against the Palestinians? Should people not be able to say Nazi germany should not exist? If there is no Palestinian state why should there be a Jewish state?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absolutely not OK. Can you imagine if that coworker said something against blacks, Hispanics, or worse, if he were white and said discriminatory and racist things against any other race. It’s not OK just because he said something against Jewish people.

He didn’t say something with against Jewish people. He said something against another country.

Really dumb and inappropriate to state that at work, but also not appropriate to equate people with countries.

Please. If someone said something during a dinner with Muslim colleagues about how Hamas committed atrocities on 10/7, it would not be appropriate either even though it's true and the coworker is of course not Hamas. Bringing up anything about this current war in a work context especially around Muslim or Jewish coworkers is a shitty move meant to antagonize or hurt.

This is the most important piece. In the workplace, we need to try not to traumatize and hurt one another. This sometimes means keeping our own counsel.

On the other hand, the co-worker here is watching a real time genocide. I'd argue the onus is on everyone around him to show some grace as he watches his countrypeople (and possibly family) starve to death and be bombed.

HR can handle this and recommend and provide the employee with resources to help him handle the stress, WITHOUT burdening his coworkers. If he is struggling to maintain professionalism, which is understandable, he needs support/intervention before it escalates into a bigger headache for the organization.

Many people would consider silencing someone who opposes Israel as oppression. Are people not allowed to speak up in the face of genocide. Israel is committing a holocaust. What should the cost be to Israel for committing a Holocaust against the Palestinians? Should people not be able to say Nazi germany should not exist? If there is no Palestinian state why should there be a Jewish state?

It's not appropriate for the workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like you said, I would compartmentalize it and move on. I am Jewish, too. You’re not going to change what is obviously a very strong opinion of his. He is entitled to his opinion, and surely you can see that based on his own experiences he may have formed that one. He 100% should not be making any such comments at work, but some people are just set in their ways and don’t care.

Don’t engage in any personal conversations with him. If he makes a comment, say something neutral like on, let’s not talk about such things at work or say nothing and move on. Completely non-reactionary.

I agree that you’re probably not going to change his opinion, but you can and should stop him from making offensive statement at work. You should talk to him, your supervisor, and HR (in that order) and state the following: 1) derogatory statements about any group, nationality, or religious are not acceptable in the workplace; 2) the statements offend me; 3) the statements contribute to a hostile workplace for everyone.

Yes, this. It's absolutely not appropriate for this to happen in a workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Given the current mass murder happening in Gaza, it's really tough for Jews or anyone with ties to Israel to hold their head up high right now, even though they have been victims for hundreds of years.

It's just an all-around tragic situation, OP. Israel is reacting out of all proportion and is now the bad guy. Your coworker is entirely out of line, but 30,000 Palestinians, the immense majority of whom are innocent women and children, have died.

I don't know what to tell you. It's awful. I'm sorry you're made to feel attacked in your workplace - it should never happen! But then again your coworker is going through severe emotional trauma as well. I'm not Palestinian or Israeli, but come on. No country in the world should have blocked a ceasefire demand at the UN, like the USA just did. We're complicit to mass murder. It's not right.

If you feel you need to say something, it's your prerogative. After what he said, you certainly have just cause! I just hope it won't get him fired. There's too much pain and suffering already.

This all makes his comments like, " When someone sat in his usual spot at the conference table, he joked that the person was Israeli for taking his things." okay? No. Toxic and unacceptable.

I just went through our employee handbook. I didn't see any this comment would violate unless you equate Israel to Judaism, and I doubt most HR departments want to open that can of worms

Wrong. HR would be happy to counsel this employee to keep his inappropriate comments to himself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he were of any other nationality besides Palestinian, I would call it out. But his homeland was literally taken away from he people so he’s gonna have that opinion.

Unless he is 100 years old, no, "his" homeland wasn't taken away. Jesus Christ.

Settlers are taking land in the West Bank on a daily basis. The process started in the 40s, but it's ongoing

Ugh, OMG. You have to go way beyond for 40 years ago. History did not just start 40 years ago. There is too much propaganda out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he were of any other nationality besides Palestinian, I would call it out. But his homeland was literally taken away from he people so he’s gonna have that opinion.

Unless he is 100 years old, no, "his" homeland wasn't taken away. Jesus Christ.

Settlers are taking land in the West Bank on a daily basis. The process started in the 40s, but it's ongoing

Ugh, OMG. You have to go way beyond for 40 years ago. History did not just start 40 years ago. There is too much propaganda out there.

“History” written by the victors does not justify a genocide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Given the current mass murder happening in Gaza, it's really tough for Jews or anyone with ties to Israel to hold their head up high right now, even though they have been victims for hundreds of years.

It's just an all-around tragic situation, OP. Israel is reacting out of all proportion and is now the bad guy. Your coworker is entirely out of line, but 30,000 Palestinians, the immense majority of whom are innocent women and children, have died.

I don't know what to tell you. It's awful. I'm sorry you're made to feel attacked in your workplace - it should never happen! But then again your coworker is going through severe emotional trauma as well. I'm not Palestinian or Israeli, but come on. No country in the world should have blocked a ceasefire demand at the UN, like the USA just did. We're complicit to mass murder. It's not right.

If you feel you need to say something, it's your prerogative. After what he said, you certainly have just cause! I just hope it won't get him fired. There's too much pain and suffering already.

This all makes his comments like, " When someone sat in his usual spot at the conference table, he joked that the person was Israeli for taking his things." okay? No. Toxic and unacceptable.

I just went through our employee handbook. I didn't see any this comment would violate unless you equate Israel to Judaism, and I doubt most HR departments want to open that can of worms

I wrote it was toxic and unacceptable. I don't have your "employee handbook". This makes me wonder about the others around the table and how they felt. Did they give it the old boy net chuckle or were some offended as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absolutely not OK. Can you imagine if that coworker said something against blacks, Hispanics, or worse, if he were white and said discriminatory and racist things against any other race. It’s not OK just because he said something against Jewish people.

He didn’t say something with against Jewish people. He said something against another country.

Really dumb and inappropriate to state that at work, but also not appropriate to equate people with countries.

Please. If someone said something during a dinner with Muslim colleagues about how Hamas committed atrocities on 10/7, it would not be appropriate either even though it's true and the coworker is of course not Hamas. Bringing up anything about this current war in a work context especially around Muslim or Jewish coworkers is a shitty move meant to antagonize or hurt.

This is the most important piece. In the workplace, we need to try not to traumatize and hurt one another. This sometimes means keeping our own counsel.

On the other hand, the co-worker here is watching a real time genocide. I'd argue the onus is on everyone around him to show some grace as he watches his countrypeople (and possibly family) starve to death and be bombed.

HR can handle this and recommend and provide the employee with resources to help him handle the stress, WITHOUT burdening his coworkers. If he is struggling to maintain professionalism, which is understandable, he needs support/intervention before it escalates into a bigger headache for the organization.

Many people would consider silencing someone who opposes Israel as oppression. Are people not allowed to speak up in the face of genocide. Israel is committing a holocaust. What should the cost be to Israel for committing a Holocaust against the Palestinians? Should people not be able to say Nazi germany should not exist? If there is no Palestinian state why should there be a Jewish state?

If you say this at work you should be fired

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he were of any other nationality besides Palestinian, I would call it out. But his homeland was literally taken away from he people so he’s gonna have that opinion.

Unless he is 100 years old, no, "his" homeland wasn't taken away. Jesus Christ.

Settlers are taking land in the West Bank on a daily basis. The process started in the 40s, but it's ongoing

Ugh, OMG. You have to go way beyond for 40 years ago. History did not just start 40 years ago. There is too much propaganda out there.

“History” written by the victors does not justify a genocide.

This is a thread about whether the discussion is appropriate, not about your opinion. It's not appropriate in the workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Given the current mass murder happening in Gaza, it's really tough for Jews or anyone with ties to Israel to hold their head up high right now, even though they have been victims for hundreds of years.

It's just an all-around tragic situation, OP. Israel is reacting out of all proportion and is now the bad guy. Your coworker is entirely out of line, but 30,000 Palestinians, the immense majority of whom are innocent women and children, have died.

I don't know what to tell you. It's awful. I'm sorry you're made to feel attacked in your workplace - it should never happen! But then again your coworker is going through severe emotional trauma as well. I'm not Palestinian or Israeli, but come on. No country in the world should have blocked a ceasefire demand at the UN, like the USA just did. We're complicit to mass murder. It's not right.

If you feel you need to say something, it's your prerogative. After what he said, you certainly have just cause! I just hope it won't get him fired. There's too much pain and suffering already.

This all makes his comments like, " When someone sat in his usual spot at the conference table, he joked that the person was Israeli for taking his things." okay? No. Toxic and unacceptable.

I just went through our employee handbook. I didn't see any this comment would violate unless you equate Israel to Judaism, and I doubt most HR departments want to open that can of worms

I wrote it was toxic and unacceptable. I don't have your "employee handbook". This makes me wonder about the others around the table and how they felt. Did they give it the old boy net chuckle or were some offended as well?

So it's totally OK with you that his people are being exterminated? He shouldn't have any feelings about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Given the current mass murder happening in Gaza, it's really tough for Jews or anyone with ties to Israel to hold their head up high right now, even though they have been victims for hundreds of years.

It's just an all-around tragic situation, OP. Israel is reacting out of all proportion and is now the bad guy. Your coworker is entirely out of line, but 30,000 Palestinians, the immense majority of whom are innocent women and children, have died.

I don't know what to tell you. It's awful. I'm sorry you're made to feel attacked in your workplace - it should never happen! But then again your coworker is going through severe emotional trauma as well. I'm not Palestinian or Israeli, but come on. No country in the world should have blocked a ceasefire demand at the UN, like the USA just did. We're complicit to mass murder. It's not right.

If you feel you need to say something, it's your prerogative. After what he said, you certainly have just cause! I just hope it won't get him fired. There's too much pain and suffering already.

This all makes his comments like, " When someone sat in his usual spot at the conference table, he joked that the person was Israeli for taking his things." okay? No. Toxic and unacceptable.

I just went through our employee handbook. I didn't see any this comment would violate unless you equate Israel to Judaism, and I doubt most HR departments want to open that can of worms

I wrote it was toxic and unacceptable. I don't have your "employee handbook". This makes me wonder about the others around the table and how they felt. Did they give it the old boy net chuckle or were some offended as well?

So it's totally OK with you that his people are being exterminated? He shouldn't have any feelings about that?

Anyone can feel anything they want. Don't bring your feelings into the workplace. Talk to your spouse, your family and your therapist.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would sabotage him and try to get him fired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Given the current mass murder happening in Gaza, it's really tough for Jews or anyone with ties to Israel to hold their head up high right now, even though they have been victims for hundreds of years.

It's just an all-around tragic situation, OP. Israel is reacting out of all proportion and is now the bad guy. Your coworker is entirely out of line, but 30,000 Palestinians, the immense majority of whom are innocent women and children, have died.

I don't know what to tell you. It's awful. I'm sorry you're made to feel attacked in your workplace - it should never happen! But then again your coworker is going through severe emotional trauma as well. I'm not Palestinian or Israeli, but come on. No country in the world should have blocked a ceasefire demand at the UN, like the USA just did. We're complicit to mass murder. It's not right.

If you feel you need to say something, it's your prerogative. After what he said, you certainly have just cause! I just hope it won't get him fired. There's too much pain and suffering already.

This all makes his comments like, " When someone sat in his usual spot at the conference table, he joked that the person was Israeli for taking his things." okay? No. Toxic and unacceptable.

I just went through our employee handbook. I didn't see any this comment would violate unless you equate Israel to Judaism, and I doubt most HR departments want to open that can of worms

I wrote it was toxic and unacceptable. I don't have your "employee handbook". This makes me wonder about the others around the table and how they felt. Did they give it the old boy net chuckle or were some offended as well?

So it's totally OK with you that his people are being exterminated? He shouldn't have any feelings about that?

Anyone can feel anything they want. Don't bring your feelings into the workplace. Talk to your spouse, your family and your therapist.

Oh please! People bring all kids of things into the workplace. Pictures of their kids, wear religious garb (Jews and Muslims included). It's fine to be human.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would sabotage him and try to get him fired.

You're a terrible person

[Anonymous]

I'd like to see a Venn diagram of the people who support Israel and the people that refer to the US as murderous, genocidal colonizers.