Comedian Sarah Silverman has found herself in the middle of a colossal controversy surrounding the ongoing issues in the Middle East. Celebrities often use their platforms to discuss world politics, but it seems the Wreck-It Ralph star may have overstepped the line with her decision to wade into a hotbed issue with comments that which have achieved nothing but igniting a fiery debate among people online.
This isn’t he first time a big name voicing an opinion on the conflict has drawn fire for their stance. Last year, Harry Potter star Emma Watson was called out by members of the Israeli government for her pro-Palestinian position. However, this time it’s a little different, as Silverman is facing criticism for an Instagram story that seems to dismiss the suffering being endured by Palestinian people. Some have even gone as far as calling her post “genocidal.” The post obviously kicked off a pretty intense debate on social platforms like X and Instagram.
Sarah Silverman shared this genocidal post on Instagram about Gaza. pic.twitter.com/7gfQhRBfFz
— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) October 19, 2023
Many thought that Silverman’s stance came across as if she was blaming the Palestinians for the issues they face right now, with others calling her out for disregarding the horrific acts committed by the Israeli government against Palestinians.
“Israel is pulling out all the stops in their Media blitz to try and justify their genocide of the Palestinian people. I guess they realise that there is strong pushback.”
On top of this, parts of her statement are just plain wrong. Twitter users focused on her comments about infrastructure and Hamas’ decision to fund weapons over power plants and water resources. However, most of these vital resources have been occupied by Israeli forces, meaning those in Palestine are unable to provide electricity and water for themselves.
“*Occupy all water resources * Cut off water to Palestinians * Claim that this is all the Palestinians fault Sarah Silverman is a truly evil person.”
Of course, there are two sides to every coin and just as many were supportive of what Silverman had to say. Innocent civilian lives are at stake on both sides, and there were those who saw the post as a plea for Israeli hostages to be released.
“She’s right, otherwise this exercise will keep happening forever. This time they woke the bear and it won’t end well for them because it will end.”
The Instagram story was taken down pretty quickly by Silverman herself, who revealed to inquiring fans on Twitter that she regrets speaking out on the situation in a “fury” while “stoned.” However, it looks like the damage may already be done, as the debate over her words continues to rage on across the rest of the internet.