Writer schooled Hollywood star on X
Comic and actor Sarah Kate Silverman found herself at the centre of a social media storm after sharing a contentious post on her Instagram Stories. It signified her approval of Israel cutting off Gaza’s food and water supply. However, the post’s presence on her Stories was short-lived, with her moving to delete it after kicking off a fierce debate online.
Silverman replied to one user, “Oh f**k yeah I took that down. I put it in stories from someone, realized it was a mistake to post in the stoned fury of wondering where the hostages are in all this madness.” Following her admission, the stand-up comic continued to be flooded with comments from users calling her ‘genocidal.’ One of her prominent critics was writer Fatima Bhutto, who took to social media to express her disapproval.
Bhutto tweeted, “Israel doesn’t need to supply Gaza with water and electricity, according to Sarah Silverman, acknowledging that it’s run as a veritable concentration camp. Sickened by the public figures gunning for genocide and supporting apartheid.”
The post Silverman shared read, “PSA: There is a very strange thing happening. Many are saying that it’s inhumane that Israel is cutting off water/electricity to Gaza. Israel made it pretty simple – ‘release the hostages and we will turn it back on.’ Instead of pleading with Hamas to release CIVILIAN hostages, which include BABIES and TODDLERS, there are politicians (cough, cough AOC) calling Israel inhumane. If that isn’t enough for you: ISRAEL DOES NOT NEED TO SUPPLY GAZA WITH THESE RESOURCES (which they do, for FREE). If Hamas didn’t spend billions of dollars on terrorism, they would be able to build the infrastructure to support themselves.”
An X user shared this on the micro-blogging site, writing, “We’ve officially reached the ‘they actually don’t deserve water and electricity’ moment in mainstream discourse.” The controversy didn’t stop there, as numerous users weighed in on the situation. One user pointed out, “When your argument hinges on ‘maybe the occupying force has a good reason to turn off water to women and children,’ then it’s time to reassess the status of your brain.”
Another user emphasized Israel’s long-standing denial of Palestine’s access to its own water sources. “Sarah Silverman is justifying a million children being deprived of water – which Israel gives them ‘for FREE’. Israel has systematically over decades denied Palestine access to its own water sources. From the land stolen from them.”
