South Park Tackles Gaza Conflict, Directly Criticizes Benjamin Netanyahu
The animated series South Park addressed the ongoing conflict in Palestine in its latest episode, taking aim at prediction market apps and, notably, directly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The episode centers around a prediction market where users bet on events related to the conflict, including a controversial wager on whether KyleS mother would “strike Gaza and destroy a Palestinian hospital.”
The storyline escalates to Kyle’s mother traveling to Israel to halt the betting frenzy,ultimately confronting netanyahu directly. She accuses him of exploiting Judaism as a “shield from criticism” while overseeing significant casualties and destruction, stating, “Just who do you think you are, killing thousands and flattening neighbourhoods, then wrapping yourself in Judaism like it’s some shield from criticism!”
Throughout the episode, characters express frustration with the gamification of the conflict, with Kyle exclaiming, “Jews and Palestinians are not football teams that you bet on.” His mother further clarifies the situation, stating, “It’s not Jews versus Palestine, it’s Israel versus Palestine!”
While maintaining its signature irreverent humor-described as “Looney Tunes-like” and featuring a caricature of JD Vance-the episode marks a significant departure for South Park, which had previously avoided directly addressing the sensitive topic. The show has a history of satirizing political figures and current events,and creators indicated they intend to continue targeting Donald Trump and his associates despite increasing political polarization.
