Canadian singer and writer Abel Zvi “The Weeknd”’s donation of two and a half million dollars to relief efforts in Gaza last week was only the culmination of real shifts in the positions of world celebrities, especially in Hollywood, whose stars discovered the falsity of the Israeli occupation narrative, and the falsehood of allegations of killing children and raping female prisoners. Israeli women on the 7th of last October in Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood”.
A large number of Hollywood stars have shifted away from their positions of support for Israel, and many have demanded an end to the war on Gaza after realizing the ugliness of the military practices against Gaza.
The most supportive positions for the occupation came on social media platforms from Madonna, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, and Natalie Portman, the same names that led the change in positions. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jerry Seinfeld joined the convoy of voices calling for an end to the war. , Barbra Streisand, Selma Blair, Reese Witherspoon, Justin Bieber, Josh Gad, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Seinfeld, Linda Cart, Michael Stipe, Carolyn Polaszek, Keller & Mike, Dua Lipa, Vic Mensa, Miguel, Kate Randa, and McLemore , Cate Blanchett, Joaquin Phoenix, John Cusack, Lena Waithe, Drake, Jennifer Lopez and Adam Lambert.
This major shift in attitudes led to the emergence of voices declaring their fear of the escalation of anti-Semitism among Hollywood workers, despite the efforts made by the Israeli lobby in the capital of world cinema.
Among these critical voices is Lipa Nesis, an entertainment writer for the “Jewish Voice” website, who said – in a video – that she is raising the alarm that celebrities providing anything less than full support for Israel represents a problem.
Madonna’s heart and Meek’s murder
In stark contrast to her position calling for support of the Israeli occupation, Madonna showed unlimited sympathy for the children of Gaza, and the Guardian website published the speech she gave in a London theater on the third day of her recent concert tour.
Madonna had said in a previous post on Instagram following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation: We live in a world torn apart by hatred. My heart goes out to Israel… I realize that there are many innocent people in Palestine. This tragic attack will only cause more suffering for everyone.
Then came the killing of the American child “Wadih Al Fayoumi”This prompted her to re-read the scene of the Israeli war on Gaza, so she said again, “I want to rephrase the phrase of the American writer James Baldwin, which says, ‘He has been a great source of inspiration for me throughout my life.’” The world’s children belong to all of us, to each one of them. I don’t care where they come from, what their headdress is, what color their skin is, what their religion is, children belong to us. We are responsible for them.”
Madonna described the killing of the 6-year-old “Wadih” in Chicago by Joseph Chuba (71 years old), the owner of the property where Wadi’s family lived, who stabbed the boy and attacked his mother, because they were Muslims and because he was influenced by the Western media’s position on that war, as a crime. “A hate crime,” she said. “We have to remember that we are human beings here, and we cannot lose our humanity. Our hearts can be broken, but our spirits cannot.”
Amy Schumer and love
Amy Schumer attacked those calling for an end to the war on Gaza, and wrote about the attack of last October 7: “I have lost many friends in the past few weeks, but I feel strong and free when I know that I am defending the truth and will always fight for it,” but she received reactions. Negativity from social media audiences.
Schumer said in response to the attack, “What I want is the return of every hostage. I want safety and liberation for all peoples. I want safety for the Jewish people and Muslims as well. I want peace,” and she continued, “You will never see me wishing harm on anyone. Saying that I am an Islamophobe or that I love extermination is… Collectivism is madness.” In another post, she wrote: “I love my brothers and sisters in Gaza. I love Muslims. I love everyone. I just beg you not to hate all Jews.”
Comedian Sarah Silverman participated in the storm of comments that supported the occupation narrative, but the comments of social media users were a decisive element in controlling her position, especially after her support for the decision to cut off supplies to Gaza on October 18, as she re-published a statement on Instagram supporting the decision, It stated, “Many say it is inhumane for Israel to cut off water and electricity to Gaza.” The American Jewish actress said: If Hamas did not spend billions of dollars on terrorism, it would be able to build infrastructure.
A few hours later, Silverman deleted the post, but it had already begun to spread on the X network, and users accused her of being pro-genocide. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Silverman said she regretted sharing that statement.
Dwayne Johnson and the lives of innocents
Actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shared a long statement on his Instagram account, in which he expressed his sadness and anger, noting that he was “sad, angry, and disgusted by the brutal killings.” “The mounting loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives is heartbreaking as this war escalates to massive proportions,” he said.
He admitted, “I do not claim to know everything about the complex conflict in the Middle East. It requires deep understanding, context, and nuance, but what I do know is that my heart goes out to all the innocent victims and families grieving for the loved ones they lost.” Although Johnson mentioned the loss of Palestinian lives, he did not specifically mention the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with broadcaster and writer Stephen Colbert, actress Barbara Streisand confirmed, on the occasion of the publication of a book containing her memoirs, that “it is shameful to promote the book in the miserable circumstances the world is experiencing.” The Oscar star expressed her sadness over the thousands of deaths in Palestine, and her fears that the flames of war would spread to the entire world, saying, “This deadly, flammable thing is happening in the world.”
All people deserve to live in peace… to raise their children where a future is hopeful, in a country with stability and self-determination. Peace is dependent on a two-state solution that respects the human rights and the humanity of people in Israel and Palestine.
— Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) October 15, 2023
“It’s a fact that we all want the same thing. We all want love in our hearts. We all want family. We all want to feel safe,” she said. “I hope for the best because what’s happening now with these people, the children and the mothers, is heartbreaking… and it’s crazy that we don’t learn how to We live together in peace.”
Cate Blanchett calls for a ceasefire
Actress Cate Blanchett, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in a speech she delivered to the European Parliament called for a ceasefire in Gaza, urging the European Parliament to call for a ceasefire and highlight the brutality of life in Gaza under Israeli occupation. It called for immediate international intervention to stop targeting the defenseless Palestinian population.
The Australian actress said, “I am not Syrian. I am not Ukrainian. I am not Yemeni. I am not Afghan. I am not from South Sudan. I am not from Israel or Palestine. I am not a politician. I am not even an analyst. But I am a witness.”
She lamented the human cost of war, violence and persecution around the world, especially in Israel and Gaza over the past few weeks. The Australian actress concluded her speech by saying, “The conflict has cost and continues to cost the lives of thousands of innocent people.”
