‘Scarier than Qatar’: Comedian shocked at anti-gov’t protest in Tel Aviv

Comedian Guy Hochman attended the demonstration and found the ‘pro-tolerance’ crowd not accepting of his satirical outlook.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

A comedian who often satirizes public protests and events called Saturday night’s anti-government demonstration “scarier than Qatar” due to the intolerance and anti-Zionism he encountered, Channel 14 reported Monday.

Guy Hochman walked among the several thousands of demonstrators in front of the Habimah Theater in Tel Aviv who were waving signs and shouting slogans about equal rights for the LGBTQ community and against the “occupation” but mainly protesting the government’s plan for judicial reform, which they claim would bring an end to  democracy in Israel.

In tongue-in-cheek fashion, Hochman asked questions like, “How do you like the protest so far?” and “What do you do against a coup d’état?”

Responses he recorded and uploaded to his Instagram page included his being cursed, his camera’s selfie stick being broken, and calls for him to leave since he wasn’t supporting their cause.

At one point, he said with a grimace, “It’s scarier here than in Qatar,” referring to the hostile, antisemitic attitudes Israeli soccer fans and reporters encountered at the recently concluded World Cup soccer competition hosted by the Gulf country.

Hochman, too, had gone to the games but quickly fled due to fears for his life when Arabic media claimed he was an undercover IDF soldier.

“There are more Palestinian flags here than at the World Cup,” Hochman commented sarcastically at the Tel Aviv protest.

Considering the Palestinian Authority’s belligerent attitude to Israel and funding of terrorists, politicians including Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky decried the flags’ presence at the rally. The government is currently proposing a bill to ban the Palestinian flag from all public places in the country.

Hochman found rally participants who clearly voiced anti-Zionist sentiments as well.

One woman walked over to the comedian and said in English, “Guess what, I’m Palestinian. Free Palestine!”

Chatting with a young Israeli man, Hochman said, “But you are a Zionist?” to which the the man replied, “No, of course not, God forbid. I spit on Zionism.”

Several Opposition MKs attended the rally, including Labor head Merav Michaeli and her No. 3, MK Gilad Kariv, outgoing MKs Naama Lazimi (Labor) and Michal Rozin (Meretz), and Joint List chief Ayman Odeh. Lazimi and Odeh were among the politicians and social activists who addressed the crowd.

Below is the video. Dialogue is in Hebrew.

ניסיתי להקליל קצת את הפגנת השמאל.. pic.twitter.com/cUMpUDNv4i

— גיא הוכמן (@HochmanGuy) January 8, 2023

In video below, demonstrator is urging Hochman to photograph them with the Palestinian flag.

שמע ישראל. pic.twitter.com/6dfMhzolK3

— גיא הוכמן (@HochmanGuy) January 7, 2023

anti-government protestLGBTQPalestinian flag