Serious But Not Funny! 12-second 'Israeli Joke' by American Comedian Angers Many

In a 12-second video clip, American comedian Michael Che of Saturday Night Live crossed a line that mainstream US media rarely cross.  

Although many news and entertainment pundits have been celebrating the Israeli COVID-19 vaccination model, Che had a different opinion.

“Israel is reporting that they vaccinated half of their population. And I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half,” he said jokingly, taking a dig at Israeli apartheid.

Israel is often criticized that it practices institutional racism, where Israeli Jews are treated as first-class citizens, while Palestinian Arabs and dark-skinned Africans are often marginalized or mistreated. 

While some are already making the claim that Che’s comment was antisemitic, many others were glad to see a reference, however short, to the fact that Israel refused to provide vaccinations to Palestinians living in the occupied territories. 

Although, as an occupying power, Israel is responsible for the welfare of occupied Palestinians under international law, it is Russia, working with the Palestinian Authority, that is stepping up to provide badly needed vaccinations to the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza. 

This article has been adapted from its original source.     

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