Were the Jews Responsible for 9/11?

In Short:

No. Jews and Israelis had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. The perpetrators were al-Qaeda terrorists, and Israel mourned alongside America while Palestinians and radical Islamists were filmed celebrating.

Why People Blame Israel or “the Jews” for 9/11

Since 2001, antisemites and conspiracy theorists have spread the lie that “Israelis danced” on 9/11 or that “the Mossad was behind the attacks.” The accusation resurfaced recently when Tucker Carlson revived the long-debunked “dancing Israelis” myth in his 9/11 docuseries.

Carlson suggested that Israelis, not al-Qaeda, celebrated the fall of the Twin Towers — twisting remarks by then–Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and citing a rumor that five Israelis were seen “cheering.” These claims have been fully disproven by U.S. investigations.

The truth is clear: the hijackers were members of al-Qaeda, acting under Osama bin Laden. Every major U.S. inquiry — including the FBI, CIA, and 9/11 Commission — confirmed there was no Israeli involvement, foreknowledge, or connection of any kind.

What Actually Happened

The FBI Investigation
On September 11, five Israeli nationals were briefly detained in New Jersey after being seen filming the burning towers. They were employees of a moving company and were questioned for weeks. The FBI found no link to terrorism. They passed polygraph tests and were deported only for visa violations — not for anything related to 9/11. (FBI; HonestReporting)

Who Actually Celebrated
Footage from East Jerusalem and cities across Judea and Samaria showed Palestinians distributing candy, waving flags, and shouting “Allahu Akbar” as the towers fell. Western journalists, including Associated Press crews, verified the footage before it was later pulled from broadcast. (YouTube archives)

Radical Islamist Celebrations Abroad
In London, extremist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri hosted an event at the Finsbury Park Mosque titled “A Towering Day in History,” praising the hijackers and glorifying the attacks. (City Journal, 2006)

Israel’s Response
Israel immediately condemned the attacks. Then–Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “It’s an attack on the entire civilized world.” The Israeli government lowered flags, offered emergency aid, and stood with the United States in mourning. (Jewish Post, 2001)

Historical Context
Islamist terrorism, not Israel, had already targeted America before. The 1993 World Trade Center bombing, orchestrated by al-Qaeda operative Ramzi Yousef, was a failed attempt to topple the same towers. (FBI, 1993)

Why the Lie Persists

The “Jews did 9/11” conspiracy fits into a long pattern of antisemitism — blaming Jews for global crises. It began circulating in Iranian and Arab state media shortly after 2001 and spread online among neo-Nazi and fringe conspiracy circles.

Tucker Carlson’s revival of the myth continues that pattern. Carlson has repeatedly used antisemitic dog whistles, from claiming Jews “control” U.S. policy to joking that “a bunch of guys eating hummus in Jerusalem” plotted against conservatives — a phrase widely interpreted as targeting Jews. As journalist Yashar Ali noted, “Almost every single Neo-Nazi I track believes Tucker was talking about Jews.” (Jerusalem Post, 2025)

Such rhetoric is dangerous. It deflects attention from the real perpetrators — radical Islamist terrorists — and revives the world’s oldest hate.

Quotes

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2001):
“It’s an attack on the entire civilized world. 9/11 was a strike against all free nations, not just the United States.” (Algemeiner)

Sen. Ted Cruz (2025):
“Something is wrong with Tucker Carlson,” Cruz said on his Verdict podcast. “He’s become unrecognizable — descending into conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes.” (Algemeiner)

Yashar Ali (2025):
“Almost every single Neo-Nazi I track believes Tucker was talking about Jews.” (Jerusalem Post)

The Bottom Line

Jews and Israelis were not behind 9/11 — al-Qaeda was.
Israel mourned with America, while Palestinians and radical Islamists celebrated. The “dancing Israelis” myth is an antisemitic hoax designed to shift blame from terrorists to Jews.

Sources

The 9/11 “Dancing Israelis” Conspiracy, HonestReporting, 2023.
Palestinians Celebrate 9/11, YouTube archives / Associated Press, 2001.
London Muslims “Celebrate” 9/11, City Journal, 2006.
Netanyahu on 9/11, Jewish Post, 2001.
1993 World Trade Center Bombing, FBI Records, 1993.
Carlson at Charlie Kirk’s Memorial, Jerusalem Post, 2025.
Cruz Slams Carlson’s Antisemitic Rhetoric, Algemeiner, 2025.