A New York comedy show on Monday aimed to bring together communities from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — which has particularly wreaked havoc on American university campuses over the past 14 months — amid anti-Israel protests by comedians and activists. Was cancelled.
The event, called “Debate, Don’t Hate,” at Stand Up NY in Manhattan was designed to use the power of comedy to foster an open conversation about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip – But organizers were forced to cancel the show after pro-Palestinian comedians were removed from the roster.
Palestinian comedian Iman al-Husseini wrote, “Thanks for reaching out, but I cannot share the stage with the Zionists while my people and Arabs in the area are being destroyed and massacred so that the Israelis can beach themselves on more land.” But they can build a house which is not theirs.” Organizers are using a clear allusion to “Zionists” and “Nazis.”
“Thank you! Liberate Palestine!” Al-Husseini added.
At least 21 other comedians were asked to fill the vacancies by coming forward on behalf of the pro-Palestinian side, but they refused to do so.
Libyan comedian Mohannad Elshiqi also criticized the initiative in a post on Instagram, claiming that the now-canceled show was “a short debate on why it is wrong to kill children.”
“You can’t deny genocide and then come here and pretend to have an interest in negotiations and be surprised when people decline the invitation,” he said.
Activists also attacked the organizers and claimed they were trying to commit genocide on “both sides”.
“Some comedy club in NYC is apparently hosting a ‘both sides’ night about the destruction of Gaza by Israel…inviting me to help ‘build a more inclusive community,’ and sir ,” said Helen Rosner, food correspondent for The New Yorker and pro-Palestinian activist, Posted on BlueSky Last week.
Organizer Robin Lemberg told The Post that the intention was “not to debate the genocide”, but to highlight humor that opposes American views of the conflict.
“Humor is one of the most powerful tools for lowering defenses and fostering connection,” Lemberg said. “It drains anger and fear, opening the door to conversations that might otherwise seem impossible.”
He said, “The fact is that anti-Semitism is rising rapidly – not to be diminished by the rise of Islamophobia – and that concerns me personally and feels terrible for all of us.”
Comedian Alon Gold, whose performances have been featured in Netflix specials and popular shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” told The Post that the show’s cancellation missed an opportunity to move forward on a path to understanding anti-Semitism dialogue. .
“The whole purpose of comedy, other than the laugh part, is to unify and share the human experience,” he said. “And if comedians on both sides of it can’t get their literal act together, then I don’t care about the rest of humanity.” Worried about.”
Historian Noam Weissman, host of the “Unpacking Israeli History” podcast, warned that the response demonstrates Israeli-Palestinian “divides that may be impossible to bridge.”
Weissman said, “Shutting down conversations, refusing to engage in open dialogue, and rejecting the willingness to listen and learn from each other are not just obstacles – they are forces that will undermine the foundations of our society.”
Moving forward, organizers hope to try again to bridge the divide with future shows, as “nonviolent dialogue can create the conditions for lasting change.”
“Why not take a page from Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi and try another approach: listening instead of yelling at each other?” co-organizer John Bond suggested. “Both sides are 100% convinced they are right, and no amount of argument will persuade either side to change.”
“We have to choose between ‘being right’ and making real change,” Bond said.
(TagstoTranslate)Politics(T)US news(T)Comedians(T)Comedy(T)Debate(T)Israel-Hamas war(T)Palestine(T)Palestinian(T)Stand-up comedy
