The head of Israel's leading Republican group called comedian and actress Sarah Silverman a "self-hating Jew" who "needs a muzzle" in a Facebook post Saturday. The post, which was written by the Republicans Overseas Israel co-chairman Marc Zell, according to The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, linked to a blog post about a more-than-decade-old clip of Silverman's stand-up show Jesus is Magic.
In the show, Silverman delivers the line: "I hope the Jews did kill Christ, I'd do it again in a second."
The repellant @GOPIsrael is using social media to "muzzle" a Jewish woman, @SarahKSilverman. This is in your name, @GOP & @RJC. Do something pic.twitter.com/FsuNZIouwk
— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) March 26, 2017
Zell defended his comments a day later, insisting that remarks like Silverman's damage the Jewish community.
"Republicans Overseas Israel exists in order to not only represent the Republican Party here in Israel but also to represent the Jewish community in Israel to the Republican Party and the millions of Americans who support the Republican Party and our president," he told JTA Sunday.
"I think it's appropriate to say something about a public figure as widely known as this woman, who during the campaign also had some 'precious' views to express about our candidate and our president. People like her need to be called down when they step over the line."
Commenters on the post called Silverman a "trash box" and "pig," before Zell responded: "Better not to even pass her stuff around. I'm hitting delete." The post no longer appeared on the group's Facebook page Tuesday.
Silverman supported Bernie Sanders and then Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election campaign. She has been a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, going so far as to suggest her support for a military coup against the Republican last month. She later appeared to take back those comments, saying that she had been seduced by fear.
WAKE UP & JOIN THE RESISTANCE. ONCE THE MILITARY IS W US FASCISTS GET OVERTHROWN. MAD KING & HIS HANDLERS GO BYE BYE❤❤❤❤ https://t.co/Y2WZbL012A
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 2, 2017
FEAR can motivate even peacenik snowflakes 2 incite violence & last night I felt it hard. Trying 2 keep in check bc damnit I love u America
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 3, 2017
Although the group didn't have an official relationship with Trump, Republicans Overseas Israel led campaign efforts in Israel and held an event in Jerusalem at which video messages from Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were played.
The group last week called for Jewish leaders in the United States to apologize to Trump because the individual arrested on suspicion of calling in multiple waves of threats against Jewish Community Centers was an Israeli-American. Again the post used the term "self-hating Jew."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jason Le Miere is from the British island of Jersey, which has absolutely no relation to the Garden State, other than ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
