Jerry Seinfeld Compares ‘Free Palestine’ Movement to Ku Klux Klan
DURHAM, NC – Comedian Jerry Seinfeld privately compared individuals advocating for “Free Palestine” to the Ku Klux Klan during a recent event at Duke University, according to reporting by The Duke Chronicle. the event, held November 14, 2024, focused on the experiences of Omer Shem tov, a Duke student and hostage in Gaza.
Seinfeld, who is Jewish, reportedly made the comparison while discussing the hostility he has faced for publicly supporting Israel during its war in Gaza. He detailed his recent visit to Tel Aviv to meet with families of hostages.
The event was primarily sponsored by Chabad at Duke, alongside the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, university centers and Jewish student groups. Seinfeld’s appearance was unannounced at his request, to keep the focus on Shem Tov’s story, a university spokesperson said.”Duke does not preview the remarks of speakers who are invited to campus, and the invitation of speakers to campus does not imply any endorsement of their remarks,” the spokesperson added.
Seinfeld has been a vocal supporter of Israel, though he previously stated he doesn’t publicly discuss his personal feelings on the war, telling GQ in April 2024, “I don’t preach about [the war]. I have my personal feelings about it that I discuss privately. It’s not part of what I can do comedically, but my feelings are very strong.”
In May 2024, roughly 100 Duke students walked out of Seinfeld’s commencement address at the university in protest of his support for Israel, chanting “Free Palestine” and waving Palestinian flags. Seinfeld continued his speech, stating, “A lot of you are thinking, ‘I can’t beleive they invited this guy.’ Too late.”
During a June 2024 comedy show in Sydney, Seinfeld responded to a heckler accusing him of being a “genocide supporter” with sarcasm, saying, “We have a genius, ladies and gentlemen. he’s solved the Middle East. He’s solved it! It’s the Jewish comedians, that’s who we have to get.”
In February 2024,at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live,Seinfeld remarked,”I don’t care about Palestine,” when an influencer attempted to elicit a “Free Palestine” statement during a selfie.
The Guardian has contacted Seinfeld’s representatives for comment. The context of the ongoing conflict includes accusations from leading experts defining Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide against Palestinians.
