American comedian Dave Chappelle said a 91裸聊视频済enocide91裸聊视频� 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 don91裸聊视频檛 feel like they need to be protected by Israel.
Chappelle91裸聊视频檚 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 Dhabi91裸聊视频檚 Etihad Arena cheered as DJ Trauma, who accompanied Chappelle on the trip, played the song 91裸聊视频淢y Blood is Palestinian91裸聊视频� by the Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf. The thousands there agreed to place their switched-off mobile phones in locked pouches for the performance 91裸聊视频� a standard feature of Chappelle91裸聊视频檚 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: 91裸聊视频淔ree Palestine!91裸聊视频� The crowd cheered.
Chappelle then said the Gaza Strip faces a 91裸聊视频済enocide.91裸聊视频� He also said that making Jews safer in America amid rising cases of antisemitism would make them realize they don91裸聊视频檛 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 91裸聊视频渓91裸聊视频檆haim,91裸聊视频� or 91裸聊视频渢o life91裸聊视频� in Hebrew, which another man shouted back from the audience.
But when touching on the upcoming U.S. election, Chappelle91裸聊视频檚 mention of President Joe Biden 91裸聊视频� who has promised 91裸聊视频渋ronclad91裸聊视频� support for Israel 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� though Chappelle did make a sly joke about the UAE91裸聊视频檚 widespread surveillance network and another deadpanning about 91裸聊视频渉ow difficult is it to be gay91裸聊视频� in the country as homosexuality is illegal.
But he also came out on stage with a falcon on his arm 91裸聊视频� 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
