n one post, Banks responded to a user’s question about her stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, stating, “I’m a Zionist”. She elaborated, claiming, “If any of the Arab countries were going to support Palestine they would have done it by now. I don’t see why this is America’s problem and more specifically any of my Black American business”.
Banks argued that supporting Palestine ignores “the ongoing industry of CHATTEL SLAVERY enslavement of Black peoples in the Islamic world,” a claim she repeated without providing evidence. She further alleged that Palestinians have “genocided” Afro-Palestinians, asserting there are only “around 700 of them left” and calling for Israel to grant asylum exclusively to Black Palestinians.
Banks’ remarks also included assertions about “high rates of inbreeding” in Middle Eastern countries, which she suggested contributed to regional tensions. While she expressed discomfort with tactics used in Gaza, she added, “I wasn’t there on Oct 7 to know what really happened,” and maintained that “the Arab world has ZERO love for Black people to the point of still holding us in chains”.
These statements echo her 2018 claims of experiencing racism in Israel during a Tel Aviv performance, after which she vowed never to return, citing mistreatment by airport staff, shopkeepers, and even a rabbi who allegedly propositioned her. At the time, she resisted calls to boycott Israel, arguing it would harm her fans, including Arab and Black audiences, and dismissed the BDS movement as “anti-Semitic”.
Her recent posts mark a stark reversal from her 2024 comments, where she dismissed Palestine as “not my problem” and criticized Black celebrities for supporting Palestinian causes, alleging Arabs “don’t even like Black people”.
Banks’ history of controversy includes a 2021 Instagram post where she declared herself Jewish after getting engaged to artist Ryder Ripps, captioned “I’m Jewish now. MAZEL TOV BITCHES!” which was also met with skepticism and criticism for trivializing Jewish identity.
She also faced backlash for transphobic remarks in the same exchange, likening her claim to Jewish identity to transgender identity in a way that offended many. Her 2016 feuds with figures like Zayn Malik and Skai Jackson, marked by racist and homophobic insults, didn't help matters either.
