Egyptian-American presenter Bassem Youssef is one of the most prominent names critical of Israel in the Western media (social networking sites).
The appearance of Egyptian actor and presenter Bassem Youssef on the American CNN channel yesterday, Saturday, sparked supportive reactions on social media, as he appeared wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh and mocked Israel's apology for the killing of aid workers of the World Central Kitchen organization in Gaza.
The famous American broadcaster Christiane Amanpour asked Youssef, “You have family in Gaza, your wife’s family, your in-laws are there, right? Tell me, can you talk to them?” He replied sarcastically, “Yes, and as you know, we can hear a bomb falling at any moment, but that’s okay.” Because Israel will apologize, I'm sure, as it usually does."
“There will be absolutely no accountability for what they did in Gaza for the past six months. This is what pains me.” Exiled Egyptian heart surgeon-turned-satirist @Byoussef blasts the Israeli government for the carnage in Gaza, where his wife has family. pic.twitter.com/ZnnswLrxWq
— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) April 6, 2024
"I mean I was very happy to hear their sincere apology for killing people from World Central Kitchen. Oh my God, the amount of pain they have to go through. I mean even one of their spokesmen posted on Twitter saying, 'Look what Hamas forced me to do,'" he added. "It's like it's interesting."
"What's interesting to me is the anger, the global outcry. It's like: 'Oh!'" he continued. How can you do that, Israel?" But we forget... We forget James Miller, the British director who was also killed by Israeli snipers. We forget Tom Hartland, who was also a British activist who was killed by a shot in the head. And we forget Sherine Abu Aqleh, the Palestinian-American correspondent."
He concluded the answer by saying, "And it's every time: Oh, Hamas did it. We did it, we're very sorry. There will be absolutely no accountability for what they did in Gaza over the past six months. This is what hurts me."
When I asked Amanpour, “Don’t you think the tone is changing given the rising death toll in Gaza?” the Egyptian-American journalist responded, “A little, but it is performative anger, just as the world reads very angry about Israel’s killing of the seven workers. And as you know, we talk about that, but I I find that the anger over the killing of 7 foreign workers is greater than the anger over the killing of 30,000 Palestinians. Do you remember when killing 3,000 Palestinians was too much? Do you know what happened? You know, if 300,000 Palestinians were killed tomorrow, no one would care. No one would care. The numbers "It doesn't mean anything."
The Israeli army targeted the "International Kitchen" convoy in the city of Deir al-Balah (central Gaza Strip) last Monday, killing 7 foreigners holding the nationalities of Australia, Poland, Britain, the United States, and Canada, in addition to Palestine.
The attack sparked increasing international criticism, including from countries that are allies of Israel, such as Britain. Spain went further and said that the European Union should review its relations with Israel if it is proven to have violated human rights in its ongoing war on the Gaza Strip for 6 months.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a statement that the bombing “was not intentional,” claiming that “this happens in times of war, and we are fully examining this and making contacts with the governments concerned, and we will do everything so that it does not happen again.”
For his part, the Israeli Army Chief of Staff, General Herzi Halevy, said that the strike was “a grave mistake that should not have happened,” speaking of an “error in identifying people” in “very complex circumstances,” while Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed his “great sadness and apology.” "The honest one."
Social networks react to Youssef's sarcasm
Bassem Youssef's mockery of Israel's apology sparked widespread interactions on social media platforms, with many praising his pro-Palestinian stance.
Kenneth Roth, former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, said in his comment on the interview, “What makes the global outrage over the killing of 7 World Central Kitchen workers greater than the killing of more than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza,” commenting by saying, “Palestinian lives do not matter?” .
Why is there more global outrage at the killing of seven World Central Kitchen workers than the killing of more than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza, two-thirds of them civilian? Oh, right, the seven were mainly internationals. Palestinian lives don't matter.https://t.co/DZVQJ6t2jX
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) April 6, 2024
UN Special Rapporteur on Health Dr. Tlaling Mofokeng commented, "Mark my words. There will be accountability for this genocide. The corrupt sadistic white imperialists, colonialists and their sympathizers will be shocked. When I say this please believe me, liberation and reparation will come. It will come. Let it stop."
Mark my words. There WILL be accountability for this genocide. It will shock the sadistic depraved white imperialists, colonisers & sympathisers. When I say this please believe me, liberation and reparation WILL come. It will come. Let it stop. https://t.co/JeK2Y2ppVx
— Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (@drtlaleng) April 6, 2024
For his part, blogger Ryan Anderson said, "The continued silence and impunity surrounding the violence in Gaza is unacceptable. We stand with Bassem Youssef and all those affected, and demand an end to the cycle of injustice and the protection of human rights."
The ongoing silence and impunity surrounding the violence in Gaza are unacceptable. We stand with @Byoussef and all those affected, calling for an end to the cycle of injustice and the protection of human rights. #GazaCrisis #EndImpunity #HumanRights https://t.co/gff47xwTjP
— Ryan Anderson (@RyAn_derson) April 6, 2024
Blogger Khaled Minhas commented, “The Palestinian genocide is not an Arab story, it is a human tragedy only if we are willing to learn and become human.”
The European Holocaust was not a Jewish story, it was a human tragedy - @Byoussef
The Palestinian genocide is not an Arab story, it's a human tragedy
Only if we are willing to learn and become humans https://t.co/YNSneeMaSn
— Khalid Minhas, MD FACC (@minhaskh) April 6, 2024
Meanwhile, blogger Hussein Al-Sayed praised Bassem’s speech, saying, “She excelled in describing tragedy and reality in a comedic way.”
@Byoussef excelled in describing tragedy and reality in a comedic way https://t.co/Mu5A2K0Zju
- Hussein Al-Sayed Ahmed (@husseinsha) April 7, 2024
Bassem Youssef with Piers Morgan
Bassem Youssef sparked great controversy after he mocked the "humanity" of the Israeli army in his meeting with British journalist Piers Morgan during the "Uncensored" program last October.
At that time, Bassem said at the beginning of his speech, “In recent days, my wife and I have lost contact with her family in Gaza. She is Palestinian, but there is no need to worry. We are accustomed to that. We are accustomed to people’s lives being ended there and then being displaced. This is a common thing, but in reality they are not.” "They die and continue to live. I know this very well because I am married to one of them. I myself tried to end her life several times and failed."
Then Morgan responded by saying, “I understand your dark humor, Bassem,” and Bassem responded, “No, no, it is not a joke. It is the truth. I tried to get rid of my wife several times, but every time she used our children as a protective shield for her. This is what the Palestinians do, according to your media.. True. A relationship with Israel is like a relationship with a narcissistic woman who brutally hurts you and then cries, screams, and blames you.”
Bassem added, "They said that Israel is the only military force in the world that warns civilians before bombing them. How nice and ridiculous of them, because with this logic, if Russian forces start warning Ukrainians before bombing their homes, we will be calm with Putin, right?"
Source: Al Jazeera + social networking sites