Bassem Youssef on Palestine: The West is terrified of Israel

Summary

In this thought-provoking conversation, the guest shares his journey from being a heart surgeon to a political satire host and eventually a stand-up comedian. He discusses the challenges of performing comedy in a second language and the cultural differences in humor. The discussion delves into the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting the role of media, politics, and the West's support for Israel. The guest emphasizes the importance of accountability and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the situation, while also expressing his frustration with the lack of balanced reporting and the dehumanization of Palestinians.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The interviewee, a former heart surgeon turned comedian, discusses the complexities of performing stand-up comedy in a second language and the cultural differences in humor.
• 🤔 The conversation highlights the challenges of speaking out against Israel in the Western media, with the interviewee sharing personal experiences of pushback and career impact.
• 🗣️ The interviewee criticizes the media narrative surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, arguing that there is a lack of accountability and a double standard in how the story is covered.
• 🚫 The discussion points out the apparent disconnect between what is happening on the ground and the discourse in the political and media spheres, which can lead to public frustration and political danger.
• 🤬 The interviewee expresses frustration with the Western support for Israel, arguing that it sends a message that power and weapons can lead to applause, even in the face of human rights violations.
• 📺 The conversation touches on the role of the media in shaping public opinion, with the interviewee accusing some outlets of acting as mouthpieces for political or foreign interests.
• 🔥 The interviewee calls out the lack of journalistic integrity in coverage of the conflict, citing examples of unverified stories and the repetition of allegations without fact-checking.
• 🌟 Despite the challenges, the interviewee emphasizes the importance of speaking out and using platforms like comedy to raise awareness and provoke thought.
• 🎭 The interviewee's upcoming special is described as a personal story that transcends cultural boundaries, aiming to bring people together through laughter and shared experiences.
• 💭 The discussion raises questions about the influence of religious beliefs on political decisions and the potential consequences of apocalyptic ideologies in the hands of those with power.
• 🌐 The interviewee reflects on the power dynamics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, arguing that the asymmetry in military strength and international support creates an uneven playing field.

Q & A

What was the main reason behind the guest's transition from being a heart surgeon to a comedian?

The guest transitioned from being a heart surgeon to a comedian after 19 years of medical school and working as a surgeon due to the events of the Arab Spring. They left their medical profession during the Arab Spring and started their own political satire show, similar to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which eventually led them to comedy.

How did the guest end up in America and start a new career in stand-up comedy?

The guest had to escape their home country due to trouble arising from their political satire show. They went to America and at the age of 45, started a new career in stand-up comedy, performing in their second language, English.

What challenges did the guest face when performing comedy in a second language?

The guest faced challenges such as not having a foundational understanding of the language, the need for extensive studying, imitating, rehearsing, and pretending to master the language. They also had to quickly acquire the unique rhythm, music, and delivery style of English comedy, as they did not have the luxury of time to practice for years.

How does the guest feel about the current media narrative surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

The guest feels that the media narrative is biased and one-sided, with lies and justifications for the actions of one party being blatantly obvious. They believe that the Western media is desensitized to the violence and atrocities committed, and they criticize the lack of accountability and consequences for Israel's actions.

What was the guest's experience like when they first spoke with Piers Morgan regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

The guest initially declined the offer to speak with Piers Morgan but eventually agreed. They felt that the media narrative was skewed and decided to participate to provide a counter viewpoint. Their appearance went viral, highlighting the lack of representation of their perspective in mainstream media.

What is the guest's opinion on the use of the term 'terrorism' in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

The guest criticizes the use of the term 'terrorism' as it is often used pejoratively to describe enemies rather than based on a fair assessment of actions. They argue that the term loses its meaning when applied inconsistently, and that the power dynamics between the involved parties must be considered.

How does the guest view the role of Western support in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

The guest believes that Western support, particularly from the United States, enables Israel to act without consequence. They argue that this support sends a dangerous message that power and weapons can lead to impunity for actions that would otherwise be condemned.

What is the guest's stance on the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank?

The guest is deeply critical of the situation, describing it as a humanitarian crisis and a human rights violation. They mention specific instances of violence and repression, such as the bombing of hospitals and the detention of Palestinians, and express frustration at the lack of international response.

How does the guest feel about the portrayal of Palestinians in the media?

The guest feels that Palestinians are dehumanized and treated as lesser humans in the media. They argue that the media often ignores or downplays the suffering of Palestinians, contributing to a climate of desensitization and acceptance of injustice.

What is the guest's perspective on the concept of 'moral army' as described by the Israeli Army?

The guest is highly critical of this concept, viewing it as a propaganda tool used to justify military actions and violence. They mock the idea of an army that claims to be moral while causing civilian casualties and violating international law.

What does the guest suggest is the impact of the current conflict on future generations?

The guest suggests that the lack of accountability and the normalization of violence will have a detrimental impact on future generations, teaching them that power and support from influential countries can lead to impunity, regardless of actions.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Critique on Media Narratives and Western Support

The speaker expresses frustration with the media's portrayal of the Israel-Palestine conflict, highlighting the lack of accountability and the normalization of violence. They criticize the Western world's support for Israel, arguing that this enables human rights violations to go unpunished. The speaker also discusses the role of the media in shaping public opinion and the importance of challenging the status quo.

05:00

🌍 The Role of Comedy in Politics and Society

The speaker, a former heart surgeon turned comedian, discusses the challenges and rewards of performing comedy in a second language and the unique opportunities it presents for connecting with diverse audiences. They also delve into the power of humor to shed light on serious issues, such as political corruption and social injustice, and to spark dialogue and change.

10:00

🏛️ The Impact of Political Rhetoric on Public Perception

The speaker reflects on the dehumanization of Palestinians and the impact of political rhetoric on public perception. They argue that the portrayal of Palestinians as lesser beings has led to a desensitization to their suffering. The speaker also discusses the role of the media in perpetuating these narratives and the need for a more balanced and empathetic approach to reporting on the conflict.

15:03

🤔 The Complexity of Defining Terrorism

The speaker questions the usefulness of the term 'terrorism' in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict, highlighting the asymmetry in power dynamics and the double standards applied to different acts of violence. They argue that the term is often used pejoratively and fails to acknowledge the historical and political complexities of the situation.

20:04

🕍 The Influence of Religious Fundamentalism on Politics

The speaker discusses the influence of religious fundamentalism on political decisions, particularly in relation to the Israel-Palestine conflict. They express concern about the role of extremist religious beliefs in shaping foreign policy, especially in the United States, and the potential for these beliefs to lead to dangerous outcomes, such as the promotion of conflict rather than peace.

25:05

🎭 The Intersection of Comedy and Social Commentary

The speaker, a comedian, shares their experiences of using humor to address serious social and political issues. They discuss the tension between making people laugh and raising awareness about important topics, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. The speaker emphasizes the power of comedy to challenge narratives, provoke thought, and humanize complex issues.

Keywords

💡Military Actions

The term 'Military Actions' refers to the various operations or activities conducted by a nation's armed forces, typically in the context of conflict or war. In the video, it is used to discuss the cessation of such actions by Israel, highlighting the speaker's perspective on the broader implications of such a decision and the international response to the conflict.

💡Human Rights

Human Rights are the fundamental rights that all individuals are entitled to, regardless of nationality, sex, ethnicity, religion, or any other status. These rights include freedom from discrimination, the right to life and liberty, and the right to a fair trial. In the context of the video, the speaker criticizes the lack of accountability for human rights violations in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

💡Western World

The term 'Western World' typically refers to the countries in Western Europe and North America, often characterized by shared cultural, political, and social values. In the video, the speaker discusses the perceived support of the Western World for Israel, and the implications this has for the conflict and the concept of moral accountability.

💡Stand-up Comedy

Stand-up Comedy is a comedic performance art form where a comedian performs in front of a live audience, focusing on conversational storytelling and jokes. In the transcript, the speaker transitions from a heart surgeon to a stand-up comedian, emphasizing the challenges and rewards of performing comedy in a second language and the cultural nuances of humor.

💡Cultural Touchstones

Cultural Touchstones are shared values, experiences, or symbols that have a significant meaning within a culture or society. They serve as reference points that help individuals understand and relate to each other. In the video, the speaker discusses how humor and comedy can vary greatly between cultures, and how understanding these touchstones is crucial for a comedian performing in a different cultural context.

💡Political Satire

Political Satire is a form of satire that critiques politics, politicians, and political issues, often using humor, irony, and exaggeration. It aims to reveal the flaws, contradictions, and absurdities in political systems and the behavior of political figures. In the transcript, the speaker mentions having a political satire show, similar to 'The Daily Show,' which led to his interrogation and eventual departure from his home country.

💡Arab Spring

The Arab Spring refers to a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across the Middle East in the early 2010s. These events led to regime changes in several countries and sparked significant political and social transformations. In the video, the speaker mentions the Arab Spring as the catalyst for his transition from medical professional to political commentator and comedian.

💡Desensitization

Desensitization is the process by which individuals become less sensitive or emotionally responsive to stimuli, often due to repeated exposure. In the context of the video, the speaker argues that the continuous conflict and violence have led to a desensitization among the public, reducing the emotional impact and concern for human rights violations.

💡Media Narrative

A Media Narrative refers to the particular story or perspective that is consistently presented by media outlets, often shaping public opinion and understanding of events or issues. In the transcript, the speaker criticizes the media narrative surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggesting that it is biased and fails to represent the full context or the experiences of the Palestinian people.

💡Moral Corruption

Moral Corruption refers to the deterioration of moral integrity or ethical standards, often in the context of institutions or societies. The speaker accuses Israel of morally corrupting the West over the past century, suggesting that this corruption has led to a lack of moral authority and a disregard for human rights in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Highlights

The speaker discusses the complexity of performing comedy in a second language and the unique challenges it presents.

The interviewee shares their personal journey from being a heart surgeon to a political satire show host, and then to a stand-up comedian in their second language, English.

The conversation delves into the differences in humor and cultural touchstones between American and British audiences.

The speaker highlights the intense challenge of performing comedy in English with an American style in England, and then in various European countries with diverse cultural backgrounds.

The interviewee talks about their experience of doing stand-up comedy in Arabic and the complexities of dealing with different Arabic dialects and cultural references.

The speaker discusses the role of comedy in politics and the importance of presenting counter viewpoints in the media.

The conversation touches on the media narratives surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the lack of accountability for Israel's actions.

The interviewee criticizes the Western media's portrayal of Israel as a moral and ethical military force, highlighting the absurdity of such claims.

The speaker expresses frustration over the normalization of violence and the desensitization of people to the suffering of Palestinians.

The interviewee discusses the asymmetry of power dynamics between Israel and Palestine and the implications of this on the conflict.

The conversation addresses the dehumanization of Palestinians and the lack of global outrage towards their plight.

The speaker challenges the use of the term 'terrorism' and its implications in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The interviewee talks about the political and religious influences on American support for Israel, highlighting the role of Evangelical Christianity.

The conversation examines the disconnect between what is happening on the ground in conflicts like in Gaza and how it's reported in Western media.

The speaker reflects on the personal risks and potential career consequences of speaking out against Israel, especially in the American entertainment industry.

The interviewee emphasizes the importance of comedy in providing a platform for sharing uncomfortable truths and fostering understanding among diverse audiences.

Transcripts

If Today Israel decides to stop their

military actions and all right we'll

leave you we're good no more killing

people will applaud Netanyahu like good

it's good that you didn't kill more

people you don't understand you

understand that we have seen the biggest

human crime right unfold in front of

right for 6 months and Israel will walk

away from it no accountability there's

going to be no consequence for it

whatsoever as long as you have the power

the the weapons the support of the

Western World the support of America you

can do whatever you want and you will be

even applauded by stopping short at a

total Annihilation Israel has corrupted

the West morally for 100 years you

cannot come with a straight face

lecturing us about morality or about

human rights anymore B MF hello hi Joe

how are you you okay I'm great good um

for those not I thought this was Joe

Rogan I don't know I was Che oh I'm

sorry to disappoint they told me going

to be on podcast with Joe it's like Joe

ran just Bridge D yeah with with show

I'm not as yoked as Joe Rogan as well

unfortunately

I have got a full head of hair take that

H I hope it works for you I also have

less um problematic political opinions

yeah just about not quite I haven't got

the100 million Spotify deal just yet I

mean if anyone's if anyone's out there

considering it I mean we will take it

yeah has a full set of hair after all

yeah

exactly um how are you bass you okay I'm

I'm great I'm great good very glad to

have you here um for those not familiar

with your work why don't you tell us who

you are what you do how would you like

to introduce yourself uh very quickly I

I used to be a heart surgeon all my life

7 years of medical school yes I have I I

have I have to I have to brag about that

rightly so I have to brag I'm I used to

be a heart surgeon I used to be a heart

surgeon yeah and then after 19 years of

medical school and working as a uh a

surgeon I left all of that during the

wake of the Arab Spring I had my own

show uh political satire show kind of

like the Egyptian version of The Daily

Show with uh John Stewart

I was in Egypt for three and a half

years I had three seasons went into

trouble because got into trouble because

of my show had was arest interrogated

had to leave uh the military the

islamist hated me both so that means I'm

doing something right and then I had to

escape went to America and 5 years ago I

started a new career at the age of 45

doing standup comedy in my second

language in English and now I am having

a European tour in English starting with

London April 6 uh doing 16 cities 25

shows in 30 days it's impressive man I

mean that that that's that that's a good

intro yeah it is a good intro we we we

we're done we good yeah finish you've

done you've plugged the tour so we can

finish now much draw a line under

it so I mean we'll we'll talk about

comedy I particularly actually want to

talk about comedy in the context as well

of of kind of the politics of what's

happening at the moment but just a a

word on performing in a second

language uh at the beginning it was very

daunting still today because at the end

of the day you are not you don't have

that kind of foundation all of your life

with that language so you're not a

master of the language you think you are

but at least you try to act as if you

are uh but deep inside you know that is

it's not your language and

uh me coming from the background of

being a doctor being a nerd I had to

there's a lot of studying a lot of

imitating a lot of rehearsing a lot of

pretending to look like as if I'm I what

I'm

doing um and also comedy in a second

language is very interesting because

each language has its own own Rhythm own

music

own sense of delivery so and this is

something you cannot teach you you just

have to acquire it and I had to do

that very quickly in order to because I

was already starting late so I don't I

didn't have the luxury of time and doing

it for years and years and years and and

and practicing with it so yeah it it is

it's quite quite Tusk I mean even

between Americans and and British people

right the sense of humor is completely

different the cultural Touchstone is

completely different Absolut the the

nature of the comedy is completely

different right so imagine I'm doing a

standup comedy with my second language

in in English while actually being in

America and then coming getting that set

up with in in Europe talking to a people

that might not even be British but might

be British from other Origins so you see

how everything is not yeah set up

against you almost a fail I'm sure not

going to but it's intense yes yes it's

very intense I'm I'm I'm doing a comedy

in a language that's not mine with a

second language American style in

England and many of the people who come

to my show are not from British origin

but from somewhere else in the word it

is and not just I mean England is

actually the the the easiest part

because at least they speak English but

if you go into people and many of the

people who come to my shows are

immigrants imagine going to Sweden yeah

or to Denmark or to Germany

English there is a third

language so that is quite that's quite

challenging have you tried to scan it

back the other way yet and and do comedy

cuz I imagine even if you were trying to

the jokes you couldn't just translate

them right the sense of humor would be

completely different right no you're WR

in English I started doing an Arab

stand-up comedy a year ago after the

English and tell I tell you what the

English is much more easier for me stop

it yeah really because when you speak to

when you do English is a unifying

language believe it or not it's a

universal language when you talk about

the Immigrant experience people that

come to the show they can relate to you

in Arabic I'm speaking to people from

Arabic dialect Arabic D background you

just talked about like the British humor

and the American humor no let's talk

about the Moroccan dialect and the Saudi

dialect or the Egyptian dialect that has

nothing to do with it's totally

different so you're going out and even

the tool of communication which is the

language is quite variable I'm not

talking about the difference between uh

a New York accent and an Alabama accent

I'm talking about like the difference

between someone who's living in in

Oklahoma and someone who living in the

Deep parts of Scotland or Wales totally

different that is how V variable and how

diversity Arab dialects are it's not

just a case of accent it's vocabulary

it's almost references uh experiences

all of that has to be taken into account

so Arabic is actually much more

difficult for me okay well we're going

to talk about the role of Comedy I think

and particularly actually as well the

role of Comedy within politics over the

course of this interview one of the

things that I well I'll be honest sort

of I think for lots of British people

you sort of first came onto their radar

culturally as a result of an interview

you did with Pierce Morgan right yes um

in the wake of October 7th yeah so can

you talk to me about why you wanted to

do that interview I mean it was sort of

like I said 10 days after October 7th

happens was it to do with sort of media

narratives put presenting a counter sort

of viewpoint why was it that you wanted

to go and and speak to P well I didn't

want to I was actually offered to come

on to PE Morgan show five days before

and I said no twice and for the third

time I said yes and then they canceled

on me a couple of times because they

were having other people

going but it it actually I should have

been on that show a week before and I

couldn't because I didn't know what to

say because the media narrative was set

up in a way that like you're going to be

burned if you come and talk about

anything other than the Israeli point of

view but then 10 days in I saw the

narrative and I saw there like the lies

were so obvious and being like looking

at things from the outside it's like

something was not checking out something

is not working and I and I know a little

bit of research and I see the lies and

and the stuff that they were using in

order to justify killing so many people

were just crazy like oh Israel is the

only military in the world that warns

civilians before they bomb us like what

kind of excuses that you know the same

thing that they say about the Israeli

Army the Israeli Army is the most uh

moral army in the world because they are

vegan Army which is which is in it's

like you can write a whole like routine

about that they use degradable bullets

reusable body bags yeah nice you know

sustainable sustainable missiles you

know it's just it's like what we should

celebrate that

yeah yeah go Israel just what the hell

is this what this is farce this is far

and just like people are like like the

people in the western media platform are

like nodding yes yes yes but then they

they bring in like an Arab do youas are

you serious it's just like and I saw all

of this and I said like wait wait wait a

minute you're just talking about like

the killing of Gaza and that's normal

what about the West Bank where there's

no Hamas and I talk about this in many

interviews I talk about the banality of

evil how people are just expecting

accepting so many things take it as

normal I mean I I when I was on that

interview like with pce Morgan we didn't

even hit the

3,000 death Mark at the time now we're

33,000 we're just and and we people have

been so desensitized and they like one

when when I was there we're talking

about who bombed the hospital is it

Israel or is this the missfire by a

Hamas rocket since then Israel bombed 36

hospitals and there is nothing it is

like fine and because there's always a

justification there is a Hamas uh bay

underneath the hospital do you have a

proof yes here's a CGI video that's it

and and we have to take Israel account

for anything that we don't speak it's

just the fact that the Western media

that has lectured us for years about

transparency and journalistic integrity

they just like oh yeah yeah that makes

sense yeah yeah yeah we're going to act

stupid and let it go it's just like very

stupid so maybe even within the first 10

days it was enough for me to say wait a

minute that that's stupid this is very

stupid how how are you people like

accepting that so I just went there I

said like how many people should we kill

as many as you can I just like I went

with everything that they said and it

just people say wait a minute that's

stupid how are you accepting this oh the

thing that was the thing that's very

striking for me at the moment is the

fact that International journalists are

not allowed into Gaza right now which is

you know a revealing fact right if if

you don't want it's been for that for

six months and even the only one who's

there who's Al jazer has been uh labeled

labeled by Israel as a terrorist

terrorist organization and we have okay

okay yes yes master yes yes of course

yes whatever you say whatever you say

talk we'll talk about that in a minute

so stupid why why are is the Muslim

media so emasculated when it comes to

Israel yeah why do they do where where

their blls go where they like the whole

like their fiery opening statements

about Ria and Ukraine but when it comes

to Israel oh no so okay of course yes

there are terrorist there are collateral

damage it's really it's really

interesting to me for two reasons right

the first because I think I saw you

talking about this another time and you

sort of said that really the talking

points you went on there you didn't even

think that you were sort of did like an

incredible performance right the talking

points the things you were talking about

actually were the things that a lot of

people people say to each other right

but it's just not represented in the

western media so you you didn't feel

like it was like some crazy thing you

done and then obviously it does like 22

million views or whatever but that

contrast with Ukraine I think is

revealing right because I think either

our morality is universal and you can

take issue with military aggression

regardless of who the victims of it are

MH or your morality isn't Universal yeah

listen I mean the thing is the the the

quiet part that should be said out loud

people don't care about Palestinians and

they look at them as lesser human beings

forget Gaza forget Hamas forget the

proportionate response in the West Bank

since 7th of October 495 people were

killed 100 of them were children in the

West Bank and that is normal because we

have been so desensitized by the 33,000

people who cares about 100 people dead

you see how the banality of evil how

people just get used to it and it

becomes like a regular thing people talk

about but it's the hostage the hostage

they what 70 hostages 30 hostages 130 I

think 130 hostages well in Israeli

prisons there are 5,000 Palestinians

half of them are not even accused of

anything that's 5,000 hostages 5,000 but

it's okay it's normal people just accept

it and go on nobody talks about them

because these are host when you go in

and you kidnap people from other people

homes and you put it in your prisons

that's not a prisoner that's a hostage

when you displace like a more than 1200

people from their homes on daily basis

that that that that is not normal but

yet people just accept it and forget

about it the fact that Palestinians

Farmers cannot actually get any part of

the land to Agri to for agriculture

outside of area sea which is the most

fertile part of the West Bank and

Palestinians cannot have a land there

can you imagine they have to go on and

you know you can't even dig for Wells

for you can't dig for for in West Bank

I'm not talking about Gaza because Gaza

is evil it's Kamas you know but like

there like in the west back you can't

even dig a well you can't even increase

the depth of your well the the the the

is an Israeli sat have five times the

amount of water per capita than in a

Palestinian and people just have to live

about with that it's like yeah it's

normal it's okay it's just like it it's

like the it's the the normaly and the

people just getting desensitized for

things like if it Happ if a 100 children

died in 6 month anywhere in the world

people will be like up in arms but the

Palestinians it doesn't matter because

they are animals so if you treat people

like animals I say this everywhere if

you treat people like animals and they

refold against you like animals why are

you

surprised what do you think is behind

that dehumanization the word you use was

desensitization right yeah do you think

it's something deliberate whether that's

via the media via propaganda do you

think I don't know but it's there I

don't know if it's design because like

when you go it's by Design suddenly

people I'm going to be put in the in the

category of a conspiracy theorist I

don't mean like that but like but I

don't know what it is but like

the atrocity was happened to

Palestinians for years had just like

been like swept swept under the rug and

nobody cares until and then when there's

like a more than heavier than usual

attack suddenly the the the W oh no

Israel that's too much come on it's like

but they were terrorists there were

people in the hospital and we had to go

in and kill them okay okay okay okay all

right you know like remember I mean you

have remember this scene when like uh

Israeli forces like were were were

dressed as doctors and nurses and went

into a hospital in the West Bank and

killed three people why it's like

because they are

terrorists yeah okay okay and you know

like this is this is an example how

Israel defines terrorism

2010 there's a woman named z and her

husband were killed and then a few years

later she published a a Facebook post

it's like may God unite Us in heaven and

because of that post she was accused of

being a terrorist and she was put for

under detention in in a in a prison for

8 months This Is How They Define who's a

terrorist you know they they kill you in

workers today seven people died from the

International Center kitchen first okay

it's Kamas it's like oh it's us but oops

mistakes happen well it's us what he can

you do collateral damage you see so it

doesn't the whole idea that they waste

so much time trying to waste this time

in this

like mental exercises that doesn't need

anywhere and even when they say okay you

kill him

yeah but don't Israel have the right to

defend itself you see how this circle

the conversation gets you get you go

don't get anywhere with them but there's

no historical context right because I

feel I feel like there's essentially a

system of provocation provocation

provocation until eventually the point

you made right which is that essentially

you get a reaction either from the mass

or from from other groups whoever it is

yeah and as a result of which when we

discuss and talk about the recent

example is just well what about October

7th right but that kind of unitary

approach to the history of it you dude

it of the of the context of Decades of

whether it's oppression violence

terrorism from both sides enacting on

each other no don't say from both sides

okay because this is unfair you cannot

you cannot

compare an Arsenal that is armed to the

teeth you know one of it's a nuclear

it's a nuclear power and you just like a

few militants you cannot just it's it's

it doesn't work it does doesn't work

especially like here's the thing Israel

wants you to think that everything

started of October 7th as if there was a

ceasefire in October 6th actually two

weeks before October 7th Israel did like

three air strikes in Gaza just regular

normal and before October 7th there were

234 Palestinians were killed 76 of them

with children in the West Bank that's

normal the idea of like they keep

pushing you and pushing you and pushing

you so if you throw rocks they break

your limbs if you take up armed

resistance you're terrorist if you sit

put in your home they will come in and

use settlers to take to kick you out

like they will take your home and your

land away so there's no point of you

doing anything if you are not even

living in Palestine and you choose to

boycott

Israeli uh Goods you are not going to be

able to work with 37 state federal uh

States uh governments because they have

rules against BDS which is weird that

like South Dakota have to have a rule to

defend

Israel Commerce it is just doesn't make

any sense anymore it just doesn't make

any sense and I don't know the whole

idea about like trying to make like oh

but they did this and they did this no

they this is all a reaction they keep

pushing you as a matter of fact I don't

even know how come the 7 million

Palestinians who live inside Israel have

not all joined Hamas there is a very

famous interview by ihud Barak in 2014

when gon leevi he a repor in Hearts he

asked him

if you were born Palestinian what would

you do you know what B says like I will

join a terrorist group to fight for my

country and you have all of this in

front of all about Kamas Kamas Kamas you

have like Netanyahu admitting on tape

that he was supporting Hamas and he was

like letting money flow to them it's

just it's just it is right in front of

you and they have the audacity to deny

it and so like they look at your face

like I don't

care when I say both sides I'm not

drawing an equivalence between the

actions from either side I think it's

clear cly the power D Dynamic is

asymmetrical right you know you have on

the one hand un occupied people and on

the other you have one of the most

highgrade militaries of anywhere in the

world what I mean the longest occupation

in the mod modern history what I mean to

say when I say both sides is that that

that violence is exchanged yes the scale

of it is different yeah but there is

certainly still violence that heads from

the Palestinian direction towards the

Israeli one that's what I was referring

to when I said I mean if you put me like

against the wall what what what do you

expect me to do I mean killing me behind

your walls you're killing me with your

drones behind your screens you're

sitting comfortably do you use me as a a

video games you know an x square and a

circle boom and then you're you're just

like happy that I am in my confined uh

on behind confined walls and and then at

a certain point when the walls are

breached you are going to get face to

face with what you have created right

because it's so easy it's like I because

yes like a a Palestinian taking a knife

and going and kill you that's terrorism

but if I fly and then 64 4,000 $64

million F16 and iom like a a missile and

killing like annihilating a whole a

whole square a whole like block a that's

not terrorism that's War I just boom

because it's I there's there's comfort

in being remotely removed of killing of

all of these people so you're just like

sitting there in your comfortable spaces

and pushing buttons and killing of all

of these people and when somebody comes

in and push your bullet back it's like

oh terrorism do you think terrorism is a

useful term I don't know what you call

it I mean it doesn't here's the thing we

waste our time in in in defining things

I was in France 24 the other day and

they were asking me what do you think is

this what Israel is like doing is

genocide because there was no genocide

in front of October six like what who

cares really who cares who cares about

the definition of genocide and i' say it

it's like how about like other Wars like

too much

killing a lot of

murders extreme termination of life yeah

is that better yeah is that better does

the the word genocide bother you that

bad and then you know what after you go

in and you prove it

genocide well so what Israel has the

right to defend

itself it it it's not ending the thing

is you think you're going to win a

conversation or an argument it doesn't

matter because at the end of the day

they it's all a waste of time in order

to do what remember how like for 2

months they were asking what's the

proportion response which is the most

stupid question ever does Israel have

the right to defend itself well you know

what I think that Israel has the right

to go [ __ ] itself seriously I mean

because this is like [ __ ]

up so when I asked that question I'm not

trying to I'm not sort of trying to get

into abstract linguistic conversations I

think it's useful because it

demonstrates that quite often we just

use terrorists as a as an insult right

we use it as a pejorative term to

describe our enemies rather than because

the point you made right what is the

difference if you drop a bomb on a

school from a plane you kill innocent

people mhm and the difference between

someone who walks into a building with a

bomb strap to them and blows it up and

kills and people is there a material

difference between those two things yeah

because one of them is done by the

chosen people we are the chosen people

we are the chosen people God chose and

you know what really pisses me off about

the Christians who repeat that [ __ ]

they are the chosen people and I said

like if you think they're the chosen

people why don't you join them why don't

you join why don't you become Jewish I

mean it's like wouldn't you feel

unchosen wouldn't you feel left out

they're the chosen people join them

and this the same Christians don't see

what they do in Christians when they go

to Jerusalem they get spit on kicked by

Jewish people who actually despises

Christians this whole [ __ ] about

like Jew

Christians je Christian judeo Christian

values there's nothing called Jud

Christian this actually was adapted in

the 20th century it was not meant to be

made by the founding fathers or anything

that was like made up very recently and

it was not part of American history and

was just like increase after the

Holocaust but it wasn't really part part

of our American culture and the fact

that they openly despises Christians and

they they they openly make fun of Christ

and make you have videos of rabbis

talking about the Virgin Mary as a [ __ ]

who have actually slept with someone

else and she made this whole idea about

like the Son of God so she wouldn't be

stoned or killed by the Jewish people

they talk about that openly but then a

lot of Christians go in and talk about

Islam and how a harmful religion we are

and they don't they really ignore what

the Jews when with the extreme Jewish

people in Israel say about them it it

and maybe the one thing the gold the the

silver lining of all of this like maybe

now are people are are are are talking

about this is it not does it not full

foul of the same problem though right

that in the same way that in the west we

kind of particularly in the media and

absolutely our politicians actually they

try to characterize Islam as being

defined by its most extreme proponents

it's fundamentalists which I think is

wrong like I I I I dispute that to the

strongest level similarly to argue that

extreme

rabbis the most I don't know um extreme

Orthodox individuals their version of

Judaism is not the Judaism Judaism of

for example sort of Western liberal Jews

and I don't know if it's fair to sort of

characterize that entire faith based on

absolutely I agree with you but isn't it

weird that the same extreme rabbis are

the head rabbis of the Israeli Army is

it is isn't it like weird that like

their words is being repeated by the

Prime Minister themselves when the Prime

Minister talk about the amalik when when

you talk about the amalik basically

you're giving permission to kill

everybody woman or child or anything

because they're the amalik they need to

be wiped out yeah so it's the same way

like you cannot uh judge the Arab word

or the Muslim word by some extreme

rhetoric said by the leaders of Isis

right but if the president of Egypt or

the king of Jordan or the king of Saudi

Arabia starting to repeat that rhetoric

that's problematic correct you don't the

whole idea about like we need to kill

the infidels and if the president of

Egypt started saying that that's

problematic now if the the prime

minister of not just that his the

members of his cabinet I mean we just

talked about the example about like

insulting Christians Ben gair he is the

Min he's the minister of the of of of of

um of National Security of Israel the

guy said like spitting of on Christians

is not a hate crime it's part of my

faith that is a minister M so I'm not

I'm not picking on EX because you can

pick on Extreme people on the internet

from the Muslim side from the Christian

side from the Jewish side but I'm

talking about people who are in position

of power yeah no I'm not just like

picking random people from the thing

because and also all of these people

that you might think it's Fringe or

controversial it is not there is a movie

that I highly recommend it's a

documentary there's a two-part it's on

YouTube it's called praying for

Armageddon I really I really urge

everybody especially Americans to watch

it because they're talking about how the

ideology of the Armageddon and the

second coming of Jesus has been a huge

part of American politics I mean the you

see the reporter asking people from the

from the Congress like Laura bobbert

which is like a rightwing like she say

she's from Colorado and she said uh he

he asked about the Rapture and the

second com he's like I believe that

there are two nations in this planet and

this world that were created to to honor

the glory of God they are the United

States of of America and Israel I'm

going to be uh uh I'm going to work for

both I'm going to be loyal for both and

then you have asking other people like

don't you think that this is the whole

thing about second coming of Jesus and

Rapture is Extreme say no I don't think

it's extreme when Jesus come I'll be

here waiting for you for him so and

here's the here's the here's the problem

you have American politicians supporting

Israel for that

religious promise of Apocalypse M and

they believe that they did that is going

to be like a seven years of tribulation

is going to be the end of war and and

when that happens the second Jesus will

come and on the other side there the the

Jews believe the same thing but the the

the the outcome is different because the

Christians believe that all Jews will

either be killed or converted and the

Jews believe that the one who coming is

not the the second coming of Jesus is

going to be the real Jesus the real

Messiah and everybody will be enslaved

by the Jews you understand how how

stupid you know how stupid it is and now

they're talking about now they're openly

talking about the red heers they brought

like five cows from Texas they paid

$500,000 to fly them from Texas that is

more than all the money that I've ever

spent on my life on plane ticket they

flew cows from Texas and now they are

going to turn 3 years old by the 10th of

April and they are going to have a

ceremony by killing them having a blood

sacrifice burning the bodies of the cows

and having Jewish people bath into the

water so they going to be be purified so

it's going to be a a way to go to like a

step to in order to build the Third

Temple over El which is you understand

the people who control the word are

religious Fanatics and I come from a

place that where I was told like your

religion is dangerous your religion is

apocalyptic no Islam is bad come join

our secular ranks and I come as like

what the hell is this you guys are even

crazier at least the people who talk

about and the end of days in Islam don't

have nuclear weapons like you at least

the people who are back home are just

like all that they have like maybe a

little like primitive bombs but you have

like the biggest nuclear Arsenal and

you're pushing for Armageddon right in

front of everybody and what what is this

you understand you understand my

confusion I came from the Middle East

secularism hey separation of of church

and state and then suddenly is like but

you are going to be killed because you

are on the wrong side of history and

Jesus is going to kill you it's like

what the hell you're preaching to the

converted man I'm I'm an atheist I'm but

you understand how crazy I do what do

you think the point of difference is

right in the states comp comparing the

States and Britain right I think in

America there's much more of a political

consensus particularly when it comes to

Israel right particularly when it comes

to Israel the things you've just

outlined and that Evangelical tradition

and in the UK whilst there is

particularly in the political class and

the media class um that alignment there

is I would say a more Divergent strand

of thought particularly within the

political left that is willing to be

critical of Israel in a way that the

American left perhaps isn't is that just

down to evangelicalism is there

something different happening

politically in America evangelis well

you know 80 80 million people in America

are evangelists that's quarter of the

population so that's a huge mass and you

know what is SC what is scary and crazy

about it is that the Bible that they

they follow is the scoffield

interpretation of the King James Bible

the scoffield interpretation was was

published last in the 19th century by a

university press uh University uh sorry

Oxford University press and it it has

footnotes that interprets the text in a

different way and it is quite

manipulated in order to kind of flip the

narrative towards Israel and there's a

very famous joke they say the Christian

Bible is read from left to right the

Hebrew Bible is read from right to left

the scoffield Bible is read from bottom

up because the notes the foot notes

controlled everything so that actually

be found a huge it resonates

with the evangelicals in the the South

Baptist Church and this is like a you

know people like you know Jerry fowell

John haggy John haggi he is the founder

of Christian United for Christ they have

a $7 billion budget to affect to

influence the candidates in the Congress

they John gagi gave $80 million from his

own not his own money because this his

congre people in his congregation to

Israel and he find all of this so that

so part of it is a religion huge part of

it is money M because many of the

Democrats are not even Evangelical but

they you have now Apac on their Twitter

account bragging about all of their

candidates that we have supported have

won their primaries said isn't that a

foreign

agent isn't that a foreign asan is that

what what is this yeah I mean remember

2016 when everybody said oh my God

Russia is interfering and tampering

cyber security it's stering and then you

have like you have AP just open it's

like yeah if if support Israel you're

going to win the election with our money

I like what what is and people just like

looking at they like okay that's fine I

like I was like am I in AAR is what I'm

what I'm seeing is madness you

understand and people are just like yeah

okay it's normal and whether in Britain

I mean I don't understand much of

British politics I cannot really

understand the effect nobody but like

there's one thing that happened in the

beginning of the war where Rishi sonak

Rishi sonak the Prime Minister when when

he went to Israel he stayed in in in in

the King David

Hotel the King David hotel which was

bombed by the stern gang a zus gang

killing 91 or 92 British soldiers and

and you know Israel doesn't do anything

by chance this is a humiliation and if I

was a British s like how come my prime

minister goes in and stay in that hotel

that we 92 British soldiers were killed

by Zionist uh

gangs and because of that

people like isak chamir and all of those

people weren't even allowed into London

because they were on the terrorist list

for many years until he became a prime

minister so he had diomatic immunity so

you look of all of this it's like why do

you accept that how do you accept all of

that I mean how do you how you how do

you live with that it's just as an

outsider I come and I say is this for

real I'm am I the only one seeing this

am I stupid or maybe I'm anti-semitic

and I don't know that's that's what I

was talking to you about like what

terrorism means right on the plaque

outside the King David Hotel it says

something like I'm I'm paraphrasing but

it's something like you know the brave

Freedom Fighters of the stern gang you

know took action against the British

military oh my God and it's like you

know and and Rishi sonak stayed in that

hotel well yeah and then in I hope

you're happy rishy I hope you're happy I

hope you're happy motherucker is it [ __ ]

is that the term I don't know um but

interestingly the the the the politics

here is kind of changed a little bit

like it's shifting in Britain I don't

know if you're if you're familiar with

it at all but you know particularly on

the left wing and the labor party we've

we've gone from October 7th happens and

you get the bizarre sight of Kama the

leader of the lab party basically saying

that Collective punishment is acceptable

and he used to be a human rights lawyer

right so he should he should know better

than that and gradually he's sort of

been pulled I think as a result of

electoral politics softening his stance

and now demanding a humanitarian Sea

Fire but for me I'm sort of looking at

it thinking well what's what's the point

of difference to what you said earlier

it's like okay how many people have to

die choose your number where is it that

you say okay enough is enough now we've

gone too far I'm changing my position

because once it started you I feel like

anyone with any grass basic grph of the

history knew what was going to happen it

was going to be a blood bath right it

was going to be a m but nobody even

imagined that would be that big but you

know what's really sad about it Joe

what's really said about it if today

Israel decides to stop their military

actions and say all right we'll leave

you we're good no more killing people

will upla Netanyahu like good it's good

that you didn't kill more people thank

you for not killing 60,000

thank you for stopping at 33 you see

there's not going to be even

accountability for Israel if they stop

they like okay okay good thank you so

much for listening to thank you for

giving people the the the the disabled

and the people who killed some food

thank you so much Israel you don't

understand you understand that we have

seen the biggest human crime right

unfold in front of R for 6 months and

Israel will walk away from it no

accountability there's going to be no

consequence for it whatsoever they even

they even getting more arms get getting

more Aid getting more money getting more

support of the western world even being

applauded for killing not so much

civilians see how you see it's just

people are just like are screamers like

Stop The Killing that is the minimum

that is the minimum that you can ask as

human beings and when it finally happens

whatever happens in the last six month

whether in the West Bank or the EAS of

Jerusalem or Gaza will just go

unpunished what kind of message are we

telling our

children

that as long as you have the power the

the weapons the support of the Western

World the support of America you can do

whatever you want and you will be even

applauded by stopping short at a total

Annihilation that is the message

basically we're telling to our children

what kind of what kind of values are you

sealing to the to today's

generation I think it's very it's it's

not going to end one for anybody no um

interesting phrase you use there right

which is Western support for Israel mhm

and quite often we hear here in the UK

well what does it matter if our

political position changes if we

withdraw our support for Israel what

difference will it make um as if that

kind of ignores the fact that we Grant

export licenses for weapons that go to

Israel and then get used in Gaza and I

kind of wonder what you make of those

arguments that International pressure

can't change the fact of what's

happening there why don't we withdraw

our support to Ukraine yeah if it

doesn't make any any difference

then it's just

it doesn't bear engaging and and the

fact that you have like an evil player

in the world just like violating all all

the international laws and getting away

with what kind of message are you giving

to the rest of the world how can you

have a moral uh standing if anybody else

commits war crimes if you're letting

this happen you can't I mean and the

thing is I I said it before I said

Israel has corrupted the West morally

for 100 years do you cannot come with a

straight face lecturing us about

morality or about human rights anymore

you can't you can't just go cry about do

you remember Charlie ABDO yeah 11 people

were killed terrible the world leaders

collected into the streets of Fran like

oh Charlie ABD and we I we Chang our

profile you sweet 11 people oh my God

30,000 people ah there collateral damage

and aable it's sad it's sad it's just

like and you walk you watch these like

TV anchors yeah there's so much civili

it's sad but it has to happen I mean

what other what what can we what can we

do not this

yeah this anything but this what else

can we do what else can we do it just

it's very frustrating to look at this

and just I I I mean it is it is comical

but it's painful okay let's talk about

that because you talk about frustration

you talked about how sad it is I agree

with both of those things I'm also

conscious of the fact that you've made

me laugh multiple times over the course

of this conversation which

and not in like a rude way like you're

being funny and no please do I'm a

comedian my ego feeds on you laughing

stroking your ego sorry you're so

amazing B please I'm full of

insecurities and I I need I need I have

delayed payment on my ego can you can

you tell me can you tell me more about

the tension between those two things

about sort of subject matter that

perhaps even some people would say you

shouldn't make jokes about that or we

shouldn't laugh about that it's so

serious it's so upsetting that there is

no humor there is no way to laugh in

there well sometimes it's very difficult

to but like I I didn't even attempt to

make any jokes what I did was just like

I was just like I was just like

repeating the talking points like

impersonating like oh sorry yeah yeah oh

please go ahead I kill I I I I was just

like in person I was just like speaking

my mind of how I I view these people and

it comes out comically because it is

nonsense yeah it's

nonsensical you know and and and the

thing is the you

I I said before you they make you get so

used to Cruelty you don't even know how

to keep up like I I'll give you an

example remember how Donald Trump is was

so difficult to make fun of yeah because

by the time you you catch up with one of

his one of his like atrocious statements

he's already on the second one he said

stuff like oh you can grab I grab them

by the [ __ ] and every oh my God grab

the p and then like two weeks later I

can go into Fifth Avenue and kill

someone in and shoot someone in the face

I like oh my God and then he moves so

became normal because Normal this is

isra what is doing it's just like it's

upping the cruelty and just by the time

you're now 6 months you have we know you

don't even talk

about children starve to death or people

killing each other for flow or or babies

dying because there's no electricity

incubators we don't even speak about

that because we forgot just like it's

BEC so normal we don't talk about the

little people that were like mutilated

and killed we don't even talk about

sexual violence against we don't talk

about that we don't talk about that

because it became so more normal just

because it's it's is are you still

talking about that still talking about

the incubators we have past that we we

we now killing them in front of you in

cameras and we will deny it and we not

going to be able to do anything about it

and if you speak about it you're an

anti-semite you see you see how it is so

stupid yeah and I and I and I and I and

I don't know I

mean it is very

depressing yeah and and and yet it is it

is it it's mind-blowing and and and this

is this is I think the frustration that

comes with like the people who are on

television media because the people in

the streets that goes out every every

weekend they see these things and the

reason why they escalate the anger and

they escalate the frustration is they

see people in the media and on on the on

the political level they don't speak

about that at all as if it doesn't

happen so so so now now at a certain

point

these uh these protest will be more

intense it's like oh look at them

barbaric hate hate marches yeah

anti-semitic yeah you push them to that

it's like oh look at the reaction that I

have just made them

do you see you see how it is this is

this is that have been doing I mean I

gave you an example a synagogue a

synagogue in in Toronto was hosting uh

an event a real estate event to sell

land and houses in the West Bank illegal

settlements which is violating all kinds

of laws and you can only buy it if

you're Jewish which is another

discriminatory law so people went and

they they marched they they had a

demonstration against in front of the

synagogue and know what the pro like oh

look at the anti-m they are they are

they in front of our synagogue oh

Holocaust

anti-semite oh please they forgot and

and they don't talk about the what what

in what led to that you see it's just

like it's about your reaction oh he's

there angry Arabs terrorists they want

to kill us you see that it's been going

on for six months and we and people

falling for it every time but I think

that's quite dangerous politically right

the thing you're talking about there

where everyone can see the reality of

what's happening in the ground it's

actually particularly it's almost a

phenomenon that's associated with social

media right there's no longer a filter

there's no longer control of the

information you can just see the video

right you see what's happen Holocaust

until years after it but you're seeing

the Holocaust right right live you're

watching it happen right and people

don't care and there's a disconnect

right between the reality that you can

see here and then the actual discourse

the conversation whether it's in

political class media class uh large

parts of culture and that disconnect is

a very politically dangerous thing right

because all of a sudden you have this

huge group of people who are very angry

and go why aren't you [ __ ] talking

about the thing that I can see with my

own eyes are you not morally outraged is

this is this not a problem so one I

think it's politically dangerous but two

I wonder if that changes

how you feel as someone of cultural

significance that almost that

responsibility then almost forces you

into participating in discourse raising

awareness challenging people publicly in

a way that perhaps you'd expect a more

political figure or not say that you're

not an intellectual but like a public

intellectual you're almost entering this

Arena because of the complete absence

it's like a vacuum right the people that

should be talking it about it aren't

yeah well I think that's why people I

mean I it happened to me before in Egypt

was a comedian talking about stuff but

on people's mind and and I just had to I

happen to hit a nerve and I'm doing the

same thing when people ask me why do you

think it went viral the P Morgan like

because I was speaking the stuff that

people are saying every single day I'm

not I'm not in I'm not that smart by the

way I'm just like repeating what people

are saying everywhere else and you're

not giving them any kind of

attention so it went vir like oh this is

exactly what you're saying and you you

you you you you want to they they feel

connected they feel uh they feel that

what they say that is is related so

that's why it goes viral and uh but but

the thing is it is not that difficult it

is right there in front of your eyes and

and and it just as you said the

disconnect is is is is is harrowing it's

it's it's very difficult it's very scary

it's really scary it's really scary um

last couple of questions before I'll let

you go why I'm enjoying this I'm

enjoying it as well it's great actually

um okay so I mean I'll give you I'll

give you an examply about the disconnect

you had you

had uh the Western media running with

the decapitated babies and the gang rape

and whatever and and even the Israeli

media refuted these allegations there

were no decapitated babies all all of

the the story about like cutting peoples

out of their babies out of their wombs

all of that was refuted and they talk

openly about the zaka and the had United

how they squandered people for millions

of dollars and for these lies that was

repeat by Senator Anthony uh secretary

Anthony blinkin that that didn't happen

I mean the senator the Anthony blinkin

DES testim in front of Congress you

remember it's like the father has his

eyes gouged the mother had his breast

chopped off she was raped the little

girl had her limp amputated one of the

and the other kid was having his finger

amputated and then they did all of that

and they sat down having dinner having

breakfast and laughing I said where

where's the IDF where are the planes

that were hitting theuts where where are

we stupid are we [ __ ] stupid you

expect to say this story in front of

Congress and the IDF proudly brag about

like an a response time of 3 minutes

where's their f-16s and the Apaches and

their tanks there were actively shooting

they're just like sitting there having

breakfast after like comfortably only

all of this including cutting off

someone's Limbs and raping another one

what kind of this Jake Tapper on CNN he

went and he said every he went with

every single sub story allegation of

rape allegation of decapitate abuse he

went with every single one of them and

he did not refute any one of them none

of these Western media Outlets even

bother to translate the Israeli media

and I said like me an Arab a middle

eastern I'm using Israeli media to prove

my point you see how stupid this is see

how crazy this is none of them just like

guys we messed up we we we went too with

this we apologize because these stories

were used in order to make people accept

the killing of so many Palestinians we

are part of this we are sorry none of

them did it and I even say like you know

Jak taper like he's he's a great

journalist I don't mean to say that he

sucks but he does but like Jake taer he

has a a great uh new show on CNN called

the United scandals of America and I

think he should include his own coverage

in that show because that's a scandal

what he did uh so yeah that that is the

Western media such a disappointment yeah

for sure and I wonder I'm not going to

obviously ask you for like what's how do

we bring peace to the Middle East

because I think that's not my problem

you guys mess it up you come to a

comedian after 75 years I don't care you

you guys mess up I I don't I don't have

any solutions but all I can tell you is

whatever is happening in the media right

now is ridiculous and it's stupid and it

has to stop and it's an insult to

everybody's intelligence do you think

then okay so do you think it's it's as

simple as this that there's uh a problem

with it like general intelligence you

keep saying stupid right is it just that

the people who work in the industry

aren't smart enough to real they know

exactly what they're doing they know

exactly what they're doing they know

exactly what they're doing they know

what Israel is doing is wrong and

they're covering from it why I don't

know I'm I'm not going to give any I I I

have no idea but what is happen what is

happening right now and this like

scandalous covering the coverage of the

news is violates every single lesson

that they gave us about the news and

about about transparency when you have

the New York Times being this the

mouthpiece remember 2003 or the New York

uh times were the mouthpiece of the Bush

Administration about the wmds where we

never found we had the same hair in the

UK and I said like you know what fine

I'm an Arab I'm used having a news

publication being the mouthpiece of a

president you know it's like it's

nostalgic I I understand I understand

that but 20 20 20 years later the New

York Times become the mouthpiece of a

foreign government of Israel like you

know they actually like they they push

all of these like crazy stories they

just repeat that allegations like give

the the story for like an Israeli IDF

spokesman and her her nephew and they

have all of these like alleged

non-verified stories and they and when

when even the the daily which is the New

York Times podcast even when they pulled

back they they they they they doubled

down and they did what they did what

Nixon did when the New York Times

exposed him before about like the the

stuff that was that okay there's a story

there's a context here so New York Times

19 beginning of 1970s they published a

piece about Nixon uh using lies about to

justify the Vietnam War so Nixon went

crazy and he launched an investigation

to know who leaked it and that led to uh

what and then when that happened in the

daily the New York Times instead of

actually apologizing for the LI they

said they launched an internal

investigation to see how how who leaked

the the facts about how this was a b

story you understand how it is so I can

accept as a middle eastern you being the

mouthpiece of a president but you being

a mouthpiece of a client State a CL

state that we fund from our own

taxpayers money that's that's an insult

that is just like a a very low way to to

to to drop to to descend then yeah yeah

the New York Times yeah the beacon the

beacon of Western media I'm conscious

that we've we've spoken a lot about the

media in this which is fine but I'm kind

of I'm seeing on the one hand right okay

so we can't send our reporters into Gaza

they're being denied access right and on

the other hand we've got the information

that's coming straight from the IDF and

anyone who knows anything which these

International reporters do by the way

you know they understand War to a pretty

serious

extent they understand that there's also

an information War as well as a

practical War right that who controls

the airwaves that's relevant who can put

out information it's useful right it's

the reason why sort of the video cameras

on the drones in Ukraine and Russia has

been so useful because you get to see

all this video distributed on Telegram

and on Twitter and it can change

people's opinions about a war right so

if you understand that that's the fact

and the IDF are not letting you go into

Gaza surely you say well okay well we're

not going to just reprint your news

releases until you send us in there

we're not going to the information

you're giving us we can't verify it it's

not true yeah or at least how about

having a bit of Comm sense like for when

the again when the New York Times

publishes like a hit piece just like

repeating the talking point of the

saying there's actually about 450 miles

of Kamas tunnels inside 450 mil of

tunnels you know that the New York

Subway system the New York Subway system

in the richest country of the world in

the richest state of America is 400 it's

it's seven miles less than

that seven miles less than that you want

me to believe that like in a small strip

of land Gaza Hamas build I mean you

should hire those people to fix your

infrastructure seriously I mean what

kind of feat that the Hamas people have

450 Mi of tunnels underneath

Gaza you don't need anything more than

common sense to say that this is

[ __ ] you don't need reporters to

report from inside to say this [ __ ]

yeah you have you have Israel which is

like a that has been caught lying many

times remember shakla the the the

Palestinian American reporter that was

killed for a whole year they denied they

deny it's like oh and then they even

released doctor videos of Islamic Jihad

killing it and then it's like oh okay it

was us

sorry it's just they lie they lie

consistently and they don't care and if

you catch them lying it's like well

we're defending

ourselves yeah very dangerous for the

journalist with a camera um let's talk

about

calling things [ __ ] oh yeah saying

that's [ __ ] that's a lie standing up

and and speaking out which I appreciate

in the context of a war is not

necessarily you know um the most

dangerous thing in the world but it is

nonetheless uh Brave particularly in the

context of a medeor environment which

we've just been talking about which at

times is particularly uncritical when it

comes to this conflict mhm we ever

concerned about speaking out about this

in the way that you have done

particularly actually for your American

audience which I know it's different

here in the UK a little bit different

but certainly in America where speaking

out against Israel it can be I mean it

can be career suicide for people right

at times yeah yeah and I had a little

bit of push back and I lost a couple of

jobs in Hollywood was

that you know but I I always say like

I'm I'm lucky that I'm in stand-up

comedy that I there's no middle man

between me and the audience yeah so

maybe I've been dropped by the establish

but I have been chosen by the

people did you see that did you see you

see how cheesy This was oh my God that's

so cool like I was dropped by The

Establishment but I was chosen by and

you should open with that when you start

I should open that and and and I don't

know I mean uh as you said like there's

no middl man between you and the

audience got people come and pay the

ticket and come to see you doing life

audience I don't I'm not under the mercy

of some executive producer in Hollywood

waiting for me to give a role and you

know or there it's fine you do it

yourself and I I I don't I think I'm I

don't even think I'm a good actor I

think I suck so maybe maybe maybe i'

I've done Hollywood a solid possibly for

the best thing

the cameras never see me what when

people see you performing live and we'll

we will wrap this up in a second what

can they you're coming to my shows right

do you want me to yeah do we have

tickets for Joe yeah baby I guess I'll

come there we go I endorse this man um

what can people expect when they see you

is it political what are you going to

talk about it is political but it

doesn't have to do anything with the

current events because I this is as you

know in standup comedy you work on your

special and I have been working on my

special for 5 years and that's my first

special so it's it's political but it's

my personal story it's like me moving

being a doctor coming becoming a TV host

in comedy being interrogative for my

jokes and then finding myself in America

under Trump and then being finding

myself in a trump Ry or in the middle of

a bombing or but me trying to get the

American citizenship so it's all about

personal stories that is relatable to

anybody even if you are Arab if you're

white if you're British if you're

American it's a very International

Global story that I think brings people

together and and I I want people to come

not as I don't want this to be a

political statement for what's happening

because I don't think I'm ready to talk

about what's happening right now but I

think it's uh it's good to have to get

people and and and and and share a

moment of laughter and even about some

uncomfortable truth about us being

different and having to have all of

these kind of expectations against us

that's it's been an absolute pleasure

thank you so much Joe cheers thank

you

for