JERRY Seinfeld has sparked a backlash after saying he does not “care about Palestine”.
An outspoken supporter of Israel, the US comedian was caught dismissing Palestinians on camera after being asked for a selfie by an apparent fan.
An activist called “Subway DJ” approached Seinfeld outside New York’s Radio City Music Hall, where Saturday Night Live was celebrating 50 years on television.
In a video shared by the self-described “ambush activist” to Instagram, Seinfeld is seen agreeing to pose for a selfie.
Subway DJ then says “free Palestine” and holds a peace sign up to the cameras, before asking Seinfeld: “Maybe?”
The comedian responded: “I don’t care about Palestine.”
“I don’t care about Palestine” - @JerrySeinfeld pic.twitter.com/lC2TpkLCrK
— The Palestine News Network (@PaliNewsNetwork) February 16, 2025
The reaction has sparked a severe backlash, where Seinfeld has been accused of dismissing what experts have concluded is a genocide against the Palestinian people.
“What kind of artist says something like that?” one user responded on Instagram. “Empathy, humanisation and equal human rights should be in the root of what they do as profession. I am in awe when I hear that kind of language from artists.”
“If he said ‘I don’t care about Israel’ his career would be over instantly,” a second responded.
“We don’t care about Seinfeld or anyone who supports genocide,” a third wrote.
However, others defended the comic.
“The guy gives you a selfie and you pull some dumb move like that, come on man,” one responded.
A second wrote: “Now that’s funny! Jerry’s quite possibly one of the most sarcastic people out there and that goes right over your heads.”
Seinfeld has seen controversy over his support for Israel, including students at Duke University, North Carolina, staging a walk-out of his honorary degree ceremony in May last year.
In October last year, he was filmed at a baseball game telling a fan, “Let’s go IDF”, showing support for the Israel Defense Forces.
Jerry Seinfeld at the Mets Game: “Let’s go IDF and Let’s go Mets!” 🎥 @theisraelfiles pic.twitter.com/dqqmLhDAc9
— The Persian Jewess (@persianjewess) October 10, 2024
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted for arrest by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
His government is expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and has been accused of committing genocide by international experts including Amnesty International and leading Israeli Holocaust historians.
