The hateful tweet from American Task Force on Palestine Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish. Photo: Screenshot.

Twitter was alight on Thursday with angry reactions to American Task Force on Palestine Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish, who bashed Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby, as the writer works to mobilize the city of Boston to search for his 16-year old son Caleb, who went missing on Monday.

“Jeff Jacoby is a hateful fanatic, but I very much hope his son is quickly found safe and sound,” Ibish tweeted, linking to an article about the search for Caleb.

Twitter readers couldn’t get over Ibish’s nasty, while supportive, remark. The Beirut-born academic was educated in Boston, at Emerson College, and has a PhD from University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Twitter user Mary Stewart responded, “You sound hateful by saying that,” to which Ibish responded with a series of tweets, reiterating his nasty stance.

“I don’t see how. The man’s obviously a harmful fanatic. But I wish his son to be recovered ASAP & safe and sound,” Ibish said, then continued, “The point is, one can recognize that people with extreme opinions, and especially their children, have a right to remain unharmed… It doesn’t mean they don’t have extreme opinions which one continues to object to, but one wishes them safety & security… It’s important to be able to sympathize at a human level with those one finds dangerously fanatical. Especially their kids…”

Dexter Van Zile, Christian Media Analyst for Boston-based media watchdog CAMERA, responded, “It would have been better if you had said nothing at all. This is simply shocking.”

Bostonian Samantha R Mandeles wrote, “Wow. You’re clearly a self-righteous, insensitive ass, but <insert insincere sounding good wish here.>” She continued, “How is Jacoby a harmful fanatic? He’s not the one who just word-vomited all over Twitter like a bitchy teenager.”

Watchdog group JCC Watch also was surprised by Ibish’s comment, tweeting, “sounds like you are the hateful one,” while media monitor CIF Watch tweeted, “what on earth is wrong with you? #sick.”