In his closing “New Rule” monologue on September 11, Bill Maher challenged the fabricated lie that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. His point was simple: words have meanings. A war in which civilians tragically die does not automatically become genocide. Yet the word is now being used so casually that this unfounded accusation is increasingly treated as fact without any evidence. Maher also made an important connection to the rise of antisemitism. If people are convinced that Israel is committing genocide, then hatred toward Israel, and toward Jews, starts to feel not just acceptable but righteous. As a Jewish American, that is what concerns me most. We should be able to debate Israel's policies. We should care deeply about Palestinian civilians. We should demand that the laws of war be respected. But we should also be willing to challenge the conspiracies that transform Israel into a uniquely evil country and Jews into a uniquely evil people. And when that genocide lie is ...