SNL sparks outrage with ‘genocide’ joke about Israeli elections

Jewish groups condemn Saturday Night Live comedian’s genocide joke about Israel’s elections, accusing him of spreading anti-Israel misinformation.

By World Israel News Staff

Saturday Night Live comedian Michael Che has drawn criticism from Jewish advocacy groups after using Israel’s recent parliamentary elections as the setup for a joke accusing the Jewish state of genocide.

During the October 31 broadcast of the comedy program, Che referenced the record turnout in Israel’s October 27 election before delivering a punchline about the war in Gaza.

“This week, a record number of people voted in Israel’s election — which is great to see, regardless of if you’re on the right side, or the left side, or the genocide,” Che said.

The remark, delivered during the program’s satirical news segment, prompted a visibly exaggerated expression of shock from co-anchor Colin Jost, who opened his mouth and looked around before continuing with the broadcast.

The joke drew immediate criticism from pro-Israel commentators and Jewish advocacy organizations, which accused Che of trivializing genocide and promoting hostility toward Israel.

A spokesperson for the British organization Campaign Against Antisemitism told Fox News that while comedians should enjoy considerable freedom to address controversial subjects, Che’s joke reinforced a misleading narrative.

“There’s always a lot of latitude with comedy, and this joke is hardly an exception,” the spokesperson said.

The organization argued that the remark promoted what it described as a “widespread but baseless belief” that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.

It also warned that accusations portraying Israel as a genocidal state have contributed to hostility and violence directed against Jews around the world.

StandWithUs, an international pro-Israel education and advocacy organization, similarly condemned the joke, pointing to the participation of Jewish and Arab citizens in Israel’s parliamentary elections.

“Israelis of every background – Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze and more – voted last week, with the highest turnout since 1999,” the organization said.

The group also highlighted the success of Israel’s Arab parties, which secured a combined 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

“Right side or left side, one thing is clear: Che is on the wrong side,” StandWithUs declared.

The controversy followed an Israeli election that saw voter participation reach approximately 77.7%, the country’s highest turnout since 1999.

According to Israel’s Central Elections Committee, approximately 5.7 million Israelis participated in the October 27 vote, compared with a turnout of roughly 70.6% in the previous election in 2022.

Arab voter participation also increased sharply, helping the Joint List and Ra’am win a combined 19 Knesset seats, giving Arab-led parties an influential position in the fragmented parliament.

NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck criticized Che for using the genocide accusation as a punchline rather than acknowledging the election’s significance.

Houck told Fox News that the comedian had missed an opportunity to highlight Israel’s democratic system, including the participation of Arab citizens.

He also questioned whether the show’s viewers understood the legal and historical meaning of genocide.

“Simply put, use of the word ‘genocide’ shouldn’t be something to joke about,” Houck said.

The latest incident is not the first time Che has faced criticism over remarks concerning Israel.

In February 2021, he sparked outrage with a joke suggesting that Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign favored Jewish citizens over non-Jews.

“Israel is reporting that they vaccinated half of their population,” Che said at the time. “I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half.”

The remark prompted condemnation from the Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee, which accused the comedian of promoting false claims about discrimination in Israel’s vaccination program.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the joke “not only missed the mark, but crossed the line,” criticizing its reliance on inaccurate information and antisemitic stereotypes.

The American Jewish Committee called for a retraction and apology, noting that Israel’s vaccination program was available to citizens regardless of religion or ethnicity.