(RNS) — Speaking to his millions of viewers last week, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson blamed an unlikely target, Chabad-Lubavitch, the Jewish Hasidic group known for its international outreach efforts, as an instigator of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
He claimed, without proof, that Chabad is behind the war in an attempt to construct a Third Temple, a rebuild of a historical Jewish holy site, on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, and destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Muslim holy site that currently stands there. He also accused the group, and Jews in general, of orchestrating a global conflict between Christian and Muslim worlds.
“This has been going on a long time in public through, in part, the efforts of a group called Chabad — C-H-A-B-A-D,” Carlson said, spelling out the group’s name on the March 5 episode of his YouTube show.
The focus was quickly amplified by fellow conservative ideologue Candace Owens. “Tucker is telling the truth about the Chabad Lubavitch,” She posted on X to her nearly 8 million followers. “Remember they are digging tunnels in New York and in cities all across America. They are taking over entire towns in New Jersey. You should absolutely be aware of where the Chabad is nearest to your home. These people are dangerous.”
Chabad spokesman Yaacov Behrman said on X that Carlson’s claims were “dangerous blood libel,” adding that “reckless rhetoric like this is dangerous and irresponsible.”
The increased att …