The cast member of Saturday Night Live Michael Che is in hot water for a joke he made during this week’s “Weekend Update” segment that many critics call anti-Semitic.
“Israel reports that they have vaccinated half of their population. I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half,” Che said on the long-running NBC program.
The statement drew attention to social media causing a stir among viewers and prompted a petition from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for NBC “to retract his outrageous allegation and apologize immediately.”
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The organization calls the joke “categorically false” and a “dangerous, modern twist on a classic anti-Semitic herd that has inspired the mass murder of many Jews over the centuries.”
The petition continued: ‘Words have consequences, and Jews are in danger if a major American TV company joins those who claim that Israel benefits only part of its citizens in its admirable efforts, praised by dr. Anthony Fauci and others, to vaccinate. all its inhabitants. ‘
Reps for Che and NBC did not return Fox News’ requests for comment.
Former New York State Attorney General Dov Hikind took to Twitter to say the joke “does not come as a surprise from SNL because they have a long history of anti-Semitism.”
He added: “But of course Michael Che or whoever wrote the ‘joke’ is also ignorant that Israel has Arab citizens who received the vaccine according to the same qualifications as Jews!”
“Michael Che’s blatant anti-Semitic joke tonight? Not cute,
@nbcsnl, ” wrote one user.
“Michael Che is blatantly anti-Semitic on SNL ???? HOW IS IT OK?
@nbcsnl, ” added another.
‘I was completely upset last night about Michael Che’s anti-Semitic excavation. He has also offended the trans community in the recent past. There’s a difference between sharp comedy and what he does. Time for sensitivity, ‘ another user wrote.
“Really @snl? That Israel joke by Michael Che is NOT ok,” another added.
Some defended Che, saying the joke was just that – a joke.
“It’s a satire segment … It’s a comedy series – the point of it is to act and make fun of the people who are actually anti-Semitic,” one person said. tweeted. Another wrote that Che was just telling ‘the truth’.
Data from a tracking site run by Oxford University shows that Israel has administered more COVID-19 vaccinations than any other country.
The Palestinian Authority’s health ministry announced on Friday that Israel had agreed to vaccinate 100,000 Palestinians who regularly enter the country for work, Reuters reported.
As stated in the Oslo Accords, Palestine – and not Israel – is responsible for the health of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
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Che has previously been criticized for his jokes about ‘Weekend Update’. He was recently accused of making remarks that offended the transgender community over a November 2 joke about President Biden ending Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military.
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Michael Che gets a setback for a joke he made about ‘Weekend Update’.
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images)
“President Biden has signed an executive order repealing Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military,” Che said during the January 30 episode. “This is good news, except that Biden mentions the policy: ‘do not ask, do not wrap’, which is not good news.”
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Che also addresses the rifts between Senator Ted Cruz, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mars Rover, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, among others in his “Weekend Update” segment.