Bassem Youssef rejects ‘absurd’ link between Palestinian flag and being pro-Hamas

Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef has slammed “absurd” suggestions that people waving the Palestinian flag are supporting the atrocities committed by Hamas.

In a wide-ranging and at times confronting interview with Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan, Mr Youssef broke down elements of the unfolding Israel-Hamas war.

The political commentator recalled a moment from his comedy show when he took someone’s Palestinian flag and wore it onstage.

“Are we going to outlaw colours and flags? That is absurd, that is not right,” Mr Youssef said.

Israel’s national security minister ordered police to ban Palestinian flags from public places at the beginning of the year.

Mr Morgan agreed that colours and flags should not be outlawed but asserted that people should certainly be outlawing Hamas.

[DKN]

Youssef: “You think Israel is Superman, but they're really just Homelander. They're shooting fish in a barrel and they're annoyed at the splashes."

[Poorlineforeva]

How dare piers let someone speak without condemning hamas at least 5 times. He's breaking the rules.

[lapun]

Listening to this guy makes it easy to understand why the hate contibues generation after generation.

[Montanero]

It’s absurd to claim that a rapist has a right to defend their self from the victim. It’s even more absurd that people forgot what the rapist has been doing to the victim for 80 years, pretending that they’re morally and ethnically entitled to the victim, and when the victim fights back in self-defense, it’s somehow called terror, while the rapists counter is called self-defense.

[yakirraz]

In the interview with Bassem Youssef, you don't seem to ask the right questions. First of all the flag and symbol of Fatah was never the one shown in your interview and it was never their slogan which shows there are some unreliability in some of the facts he is presenting, in addition you haven't asked if the actions of hatred in Israel were condemned at the time they occurred and they were by the way, but when people in Gaza and the West Bank are celebrating deaths of Israelis and Israelis Jews and giving out sweets especially the government in Gaza and in the West bank hasn't condemn those celebrations, isn't it odd?
You said that you don't support Israel controlling the water and electricity supply to Gaza, Let's ask then the obvious question, did Hamas ever try to dig wells? did they develop osmosis systems? did they ever try to build a power station? No. Moreover, the Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk said that Gaza civilians are not their responsibility but the responsibility of Israel (the occupation) and the UN, but they are the government, which is basically their responsibility as the government.
In addition, you haven't asked him if Gaza opposed Hamas so much since the beginning so why wasn't there any resistance movement against their regime in all the 17 years they have governed Gaza? isn't it odd as well?
As a journalist, I expected you to ask those questions. At least you need to interview a pro-Israel voice for that long period of the interview, 2 hours, like Ben Shapiro or others just to show both sides to be fair for both sides pro-Israel and pro-Palestine

[fatehhaider]

I can watch the words of wisdom, knowledge in bassem's humour

[BillDaBurgerEater]

Wow, several of your family dead then forst thing bringing up unrelated deaths? Piers is such a coward he cant even admit that, that is very rude and insensitive.

[glendacooper]

I'm not an expert, and I understand that it's a complicated problem. However, it seems to me that segregation causes battlines. We never imagined we could overcome segregation in America, but we did it. If people get along better in the West Bank than in Gaza, it seems to me that integration is the answer. The Jews and the Palestinians need to learn to get along. Should we try to integrate the two countries and admit that Gaza belongs to both. I know Jerusalem is not interested in administering Gaza, but Gaza would be better off being administered by Israel or another more stable government. I think Arabs and Jews and Christians need to learn to get along. How many of you know an Arab as a Christian? You're not scared, right? It's because you know them personally. You know they're no threat to you. It seems like segregation makes things worse.

I'm not talking about terrorists. I'm talking about everyday civilian Palestinians. Can't we find things in common? People who fight over Religion enjoy war. Ireland and England did it. If you resegregate Gaza after this is over, you will wind up with the same problem. Israel is RICH. Gaza is POOR and a failed state. The Gazans will become JEALOUS of Israel once again if you resegregate it. Most wars boil down to MONEY in the end. Both countries need to form a similar standard of living and learn to get along, or this will happen all over again.

[hmhmhmpandaaa]

THOSE DAMN DOG WHISTLES EVERYWHERE EH BASSEM 🤣

[BlairRUM]

Bassem is a champ.
He must give Sharri Markson total heartburn.

[joeljamie]

Thank goodness it wasn't a St George's cross. The police would have been involved immediately. It's so raysis.

[polarfamily]

So he even ignored the Palestinians that said just that...

[sds]

for context was born in the west bank (now live in the US and work as a chemist) and studied in Israel for 4 years. from my experience the west bank and inside Israel are completely separate things, Israel as a country are not racist at all, nobody cared were I was from, they were all very friendly and I found out that people have been simply lying about Israel for my entire childhood. all Israeli civilians are given pretty much exactly the same rights, they can vote they have free medical insurance and they can speak their mind. the Israeli government is problematic they continue building settlements in the west bank and the IDF are way too quick on their trigger a lot of the times. I will say that the amount of hate for Israelis in the west bank and even in my family is simply sad to watch however there are many of us that just wish to live a normal life without hate and fighting. almost all Israelis I have talked to said they would support a two state solution and give east Jerusalem and the west bank for peace and yet some sharp tongue MORON that have NEVER lived in Israel or the west bank like Bassem Youssef decides for us that peace is impossible. this clip was disgusting to watch, it was filled with lies and it tries to fault one side without talking about the other side. shame on him!!!

[itsmederek]

I used to like Bassem, but I just looked up his point about stolen Yemeni infants being given to childless Ashkenazi jews and it is false. It is referred to as the Yemeni Children Affair, look it up. I am a bit disappointed honestly

[sunflower-imlo]

I don't like a single Muslim. Honestly. But does that make me "islamophobe"? Nope. Just all the experiences and what has happend I witness of Muslims are not good.

[rubyredlopez]

Why don't the Palestinians Protest against Hamas after what they did.... if there is any Palestinians who are innocent people and do not support Hamas ! That flag is hamas

[ksmdrs]

Im tired of people saying Gaza is a dystopia and an open air prison, ive seen videos from people visiting and it looks just like any other city but the media only shows the negative part, im curious why Bassem doesnt know Gaza was actually not that bad as in the media since his wife is Palestinian or maybe he does and he just pushes pro Palestine propaganda and he clearly avoided the question of what would happen to a Jew that went to Gaza

[bell]

Your chanel opens chances to spread twisted, hateful narratives, without corretive commenting. You do not stress your means for peace. There is an obligation on media beyond average chat.

[uchnsn]

He completely ignores the fact Israel in 2005 left Gaza entirely..if they want it why would they leave?.

Not only that. Israel agreed to every peace agreement... Palestinian did not.

[nathantudor]

Yet the Israeli flag represents support of genocide? (Even when it Israel isn’t even commuting such) Double standards there mate.