David R. Blumenthal

Max Blumenthal is an American journalist, author, blogger, and filmmaker who has contributed to a variety of publications including The Nation, AlterNet, and Al Jazeera English. He is also the editor of The Grayzone website. Blumenthal has written extensively about Israel and is a critic of its government's actions. His work has often focused on US foreign policy, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and American conservatism.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Blumenthal graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He has authored several books, including "Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement That Shattered the Party" and "Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel." His reporting has addressed topics such as immigration, the "Minuteman" movement, and the experiences of undocumented migrants. He has also produced videos on subjects like the American right-wing and Christian fundamentalist support for Israel.

Max Blumenthal has established himself as a prolific journalist and author, with his work appearing in numerous prominent outlets. He has been a writer for The Nation, AlterNet, The Daily Beast, and Media Matters for America, and has contributed to Al Jazeera English, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. As of 2022, he was also a contributor to Sputnik and RT. Blumenthal is currently the editor of The Grayzone website, a platform known for its critiques of US foreign policy and its coverage of various governments, including China, Russia, and Syria. His journalistic endeavors have often focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where he expresses strong criticism of the Israeli government's conduct.

Blumenthal has authored four books, with his first, "Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement That Shattered the Party" (2009), achieving bestseller status on both The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times lists. His 2013 book, "Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel," earned him the 2014 Lannan Foundation Cultural Freedom Award for an Especially Notable Book. This work, along with others based on his time in Gaza and the West Bank, delves into his observations and analyses of the region. He also produced the video "Generation Chickenhawk" (2007), which featured interviews with attendees of the College Republican National Convention.

Blumenthal's reporting has covered a range of significant social and political issues. His early work included an award-winning 2002 Salon article on homicides in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, which he linked to corporate policies. He has also reported on the "Minuteman" movement and federal immigration enforcement programs like Operation Streamline. In 2014, he covered hunger strikes by undocumented migrants. Blumenthal has also explored American conservatism, attending conferences and creating videos like "Generation Chickenhawk" (2007) and "Rapture Ready" (2007), which examined Christian fundamentalists' support for Israel.

Blumenthal's work has occasionally drawn controversy. His 2009 video "Feeling the Hate in Jerusalem on the Eve of Obama's Cairo Address" featured interviews with young Jewish-Americans expressing racist remarks, and the video was removed from YouTube for unspecified violations. He has faced accusations of bias and his platform, The Grayzone, has been described by some as fringe, particularly for its coverage of certain governments and its denial of human rights abuses. In 2011, a dispute arose with Fordham University Law Professor Karen J. Greenberg regarding statements Blumenthal attributed to her about Israeli forces training police in anti-protester techniques.