ALBAWABA - American comedian and actor Jerry Seinfeld recently sparked backlash on social media after comparing the "Free Palestine" movement to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) during a surprise appearance at Duke University in North Carolina.
The unannounced Duke University event featured Seinfeld, who introduced former Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov to honor the Nova music festival event on October 7, 2023. According to NBC News, the American comedian and actor reportedly started his speech by referencing the Free Palestine movement and said, "Just say you don't like Jews."
According to The Duke Chronicle (the university's newspaper), Jerry Seinfeld added, "By saying 'Free Palestine,' you’re not admitting what you really think. So it’s actually — compared to the Ku Klux Klan, I’m actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here, because they can come right out and say, ‘We don’t like Blacks, we don’t like Jews.’ Okay, that’s honest."
Jerry Seinfeld likens 'Free Palestine' to the KKK
In response to his remarks, Seinfeld was heavily criticized by pro-Palestine and human rights activists. A social media user wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "Your periodic reminder that Jerry Seinfeld is an awful human being."
American writer and activist Shaun King wrote, "What @JerrySeinfeld is saying here is that oppressing Palestinians is now such a part of Jewish identity and culture that simply saying “Free Palestine” means to him that you must hate Jews and is worse than the KKK. This man should never work again."
Seinfeld has advocated and voiced his pro-Israel stance on many platforms over the years. Moreover, during the university event, he recalled his visit to Tel Aviv, where he met with the Israeli hostages' families, as he called for immediate action.
The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has resulted in the killing of more than 64,000 Palestinians and the injuring of at least 163,000 since Oct. 7, 2023.
Additionally, over 399 Palestinians, including 140 children, have died of starvation since the start of the war, as reported by Gaza's health ministry.
