The Jewish watchdog group StopAntisemitism has named “Desperate Housewives” actress Marcia Cross its “Antisemite of the Week” for social media posts condemning Israel and allegedly spreading antisemitic rhetoric.
The 63-year-old Emmy-nominated star, a vocal pro-Palestinian activist, has accused Israel of committing genocide through starvation in Gaza, and has claimed the United States and other countries are aiding and abetting the nation’s actions.
StopAntisemitism cited a shared post by the actress which claimed that “gas chambers” were “far more merciful” than starvation, a comparison the group called a “grotesque” trivialization of the Holocaust.
“Her posts recycle classic antisemitic tropes, trivialize Jewish suffering, and deny Jewish legitimacy – language that puts Jewish communities at real risk both online and offline,” said Liora Rez, founder of StopAntisemitism.
In her social media activity, Cross has posted numerous statements critical of Israel, which has been at war with Hamas since the terror group’s invasion on October 7, 2023. In one message, she wrote, “F*** YOU ISRAEL AND ALL OF YOUR SUPPORTERS USA GERMANY FRANCE. YOU ARE THE BILE OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE ROT AT THE CORE OF ANYTHING DECENT.”
In another post, Cross wrote, “The entire population is being starved to death. Hostages included. To lie and say the photos of starving human beings are doctored is the lowest of lows. -and the antisemitism card is over.”
The actress has also invoked tropes about Israeli control over U.S. politicians, including Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Barack Obama, and suggested Vice President Kamala Harris had joined “the fools of the Netanyahu show.”
Additionally, Cross promoted a “day of action” announcement featuring the phrase, “From every river to every sea, end US complicity,” and shared a post on Instagram asking, “What’s the point of Holocaust museums if they are silent in the face of genocide?”
StopAntisemitism noted that Cross recently signed a pledge to boycott Israeli institutions and companies. “Hiding behind a pretense of advocacy, Marcia Cross actively spreads antisemitic rhetoric and fuels hostility toward the Jewish community,” the group stated.
Rez added, “With nearly a million followers, she uses her platform not for advocacy, but to demonize Israel, excuse Hamas, and promote violence against Jews.” The organization is now launching a public campaign calling on her talent agency to drop her as a client.
Cross is best known for her role as Bree Van de Kamp in the ABC series “Desperate Housewives,” for which she earned two Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as her earlier role on “Melrose Place.” Representatives for the actress did not respond to a request for comment.
