Has Rob Reiner publicly stated support for Palestine or Palestinian rights?
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Executive summary
Rob Reiner has at times expressed positions that critics interpret as sympathetic to Palestinian concerns — notably signing a 2017 petition opposing President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital that “stand[s] in solidarity with the Palestinians” [1]. At other times he has taken hardline public stances against Hamas and supported actions critics say undermine Palestinian self-determination [2]. Available sources do not mention a single, consistent public statement from Reiner that can be summarized simply as “supports Palestine” or “supports Palestinian rights” without qualification.
1. A one-line answer: complicated, not categorical
There is no single declaration in the reviewed reporting where Reiner says, “I support Palestine” as an overarching, unqualified position; instead, his record contains discrete actions and remarks that both align with Palestinian grievances (signing a petition criticizing U.S. recognition of Jerusalem) and with positions hostile to Hamas and certain Palestinian political choices (arguing Hamas must be “eliminated” and criticizing negotiations with it) [1] [2].
2. The petition that looked like solidarity
When President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, Reiner joined a public petition led by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir that declared: “We stand in solidarity with the Palestinians in Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine, and an open Sacred City that belongs to all Muslims, Christians and Jews.” That action is direct evidence he sided with Palestinian objections to that policy decision [1].
3. Clear statements against Hamas and on Palestinian leadership
In other public remarks — highlighted in a 2014 account — Reiner said Palestinians “have no right… of self-determination” in the sense that he insisted an extremist group like Hamas could not be negotiated with and must be removed for peace to proceed. He advocated replacing Hamas with the Palestinian Authority as the interlocutor for a two-state solution [2]. Those comments have been read by commentators as opposing certain Palestinian political choices rather than opposing Palestinian rights in principle [2].
4. How different acts produce competing readings
Reiner’s signature on the Jerusalem petition signals solidarity with Palestinian claims about the city and U.S. policy [1]. His public insistence that Hamas be “eliminated” and that the Palestinian Authority should govern Gaza reads as placing security and the viability of Israel at the center of his calculus, a stance that many pro-Palestine advocates view as dismissive of Palestinian agency [2]. Both positions coexist in the record.
5. Media and political context shape interpretation
Coverage frames Reiner as a progressive activist who participates in high-profile political debates — for example, as a host/sponsor at Democratic events where pro-Palestine demonstrators have appeared [3] — and as someone whose political activism has drawn praise and criticism in different outlets [4] [5]. Right-leaning and partisan outlets have emphasized his criticisms of protesters or reluctance to condemn some tactics, while other reporting highlights his participation in petitions supporting Palestinian claims [6] [1].
6. Critics and defenders point to different moments
Critics cite his 2014 remarks calling for the elimination of Hamas as evidence he would not defend Palestinian rights to choose their leaders [2]. Defenders point to actions like the Jerusalem petition as evidence he acknowledges Palestinian grievances and the injustice of unilateral U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital [1]. Both readings align with the cited sources.
7. What the sources do not say
Available sources do not present a single, comprehensive manifesto from Reiner endorsing a specific Palestinian political program or declaring an unconditional “support Palestine” platform. They do not contain a definitive interview in which Reiner lays out a consistent, updated stance reconciling his petition-level solidarity with his statements about Hamas and Palestinian governance (not found in current reporting).
8. Bottom line for readers and researchers
Reiner’s public record is mixed: he has publicly expressed solidarity with Palestinians regarding the status of Jerusalem [1] while also publicly arguing that Hamas must be removed and that certain Palestinian political outcomes are unacceptable [2]. Any claim that he “publicly stated support for Palestine” needs to specify which statements or actions are meant; the sources show selective support on particular issues rather than a uniform position [1] [2].