American comedian Dave Chappelle said a 含羞草研究社済enocide含羞草研究社� is striking the Gaza Strip amid the Israel-Hamas war to cheers during his performance in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, while urging Americans to fight anti-Semitism so Jews don含羞草研究社檛 feel like they need to be protected by Israel.
Chappelle含羞草研究社檚 comments come as Abu Dhabi has maintained its diplomatic relations with Israel even as it has increasingly criticized its conduct in the seven-month war.
Meanwhile, while pro-Palestinian marches have swept across the wider Middle East since the war began, protests and speech remains tightly restricted in the Emirates, a federation of seven sheikdoms on the Arabian Peninsula.
Even before coming on stage, the full crowd at Abu Dhabi含羞草研究社檚 Etihad Arena cheered as DJ Trauma, who accompanied Chappelle on the trip, played the song 含羞草研究社淢y Blood is Palestinian含羞草研究社� by the Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf. The thousands there agreed to place their switched-off mobile phones in locked pouches for the performance 含羞草研究社� a standard feature of Chappelle含羞草研究社檚 shows.
About halfway through in a wide-ranging comedy set in Abu Dhabi, Chappelle, a Muslim, initially said he had been told by his friends either to discuss the war or not. From the audience, a woman screamed: 含羞草研究社淔ree Palestine!含羞草研究社� The crowd cheered.
Chappelle then said the Gaza Strip faces a 含羞草研究社済enocide.含羞草研究社� He also said that making Jews safer in America amid rising cases of antisemitism would make them realize they don含羞草研究社檛 need Israel as an ultimate protector.
Another moment also displayed just how diverse the crowd was in the Abu Dhabi. In telling another joke about how Jews cheer while drinking, Chappelle said 含羞草研究社渓含羞草研究社檆haim,含羞草研究社� or 含羞草研究社渢o life含羞草研究社� in Hebrew, which another man shouted back from the audience.
But when touching on the upcoming U.S. election, Chappelle含羞草研究社檚 mention of President Joe Biden 含羞草研究社� who has promised 含羞草研究社渋ronclad含羞草研究社� support for Israel 含羞草研究社� drew widespread boos throughout the arena. Donald Trump drew scattered cheers.
Chappelle, as other artists during the performance, told some racy jokes and swore. But they largely avoided discussing local politics 含羞草研究社� though Chappelle did make a sly joke about the UAE含羞草研究社檚 widespread surveillance network and another deadpanning about 含羞草研究社渉ow difficult is it to be gay含羞草研究社� in the country as homosexuality is illegal.
But he also came out on stage with a falcon on his arm 含羞草研究社� a symbol for the UAE.
Chappelle, 50, won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019. He performed at the Abu Dhabi Comedy Week.
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Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
