Jewish-American comedian Jerry Seinfeld ignited fierce debate during a surprise appearance at Duke University on Tuesday, where he drew a comparison between the “Free Palestine” movement and the Ku Klux Klan, Variety reports.
Speaking at an event featuring captivity survivor Omer Shem Tov, who was held by Hamas for 505 days, Seinfeld criticized the slogan “Free Palestine,” suggesting it masks antisemitic sentiment.
“Free Palestine is, to me, just - you’re free to say you don’t like Jews,” Seinfeld said. “Just say you don’t like Jews. By saying ‘Free Palestine,’ you’re not admitting what you really think. So it’s actually - compared to the Ku Klux Klan, I’m actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here because they can come right out and say, ‘We don’t like Blacks, we don’t like Jews.’ OK that’s honest.”
The remarks were reported by Duke’s student newspaper, The Chronicle, following the event, which centered on Shem Tov’s spiritual journey during his captivity after being abducted by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.
Seinfeld’s appearance was unadvertised and limited to a brief introduction of Shem Tov and moderator State Senator Sophia Chitlik. The event was sponsored by Chabad at Duke, the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, and various Jewish student organizations.
A Duke University spokesperson clarified to The Chronicle, “Duke does not preview the remarks of speakers who are invited to campus, and the invitation of speakers to campus does not imply any endorsement of their remarks.”
Seinfeld has been vocal in his support for Israel throughout the ongoing war in Gaza. In October of 2023, after the Hamas massacre, Seinfeld shared on his Instagram account that he lived and worked on a Kibbutz in Israel when he was 16 and has loved Israel ever since.
“I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people," he added.
He also attached a photograph of a woman draped in an Israeli flag with the caption: "I STAND WITH ISRAEL."
Two months later, Seinfeld arrived in Israel for a solidarity and support visit, after he accepted a request from the families of the hostages to meet with them and hear their stories.
He later got emotional, during an interview with Bari Weiss, as he described his visit to Israel.
In May 2024, Seinfeld faced protests while receiving an honorary degree at Duke, and in June, his comedy show in Sydney was interrupted by pro-Palestinian Arab hecklers chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Responding to the disruption, Seinfeld mocked the hecklers: “We have a genius, ladies and gentlemen. He solved the Middle East!” He added sarcastically, “It’s the Jewish comedians, that’s who we have to get! They’re the ones doing everything.”
In October of 2024, Seinfeld expressed his support for the IDF while in attendance at a New York Mets game at Citi Field this week.
A video posted to social media site X showed a fan behind the camera saying that his brother was watching from the Gaza border, and the video would be for him.
Seinfeld then responds with a smile, saying, "Let's go, Mets! Let's go, IDF!"
In February, a fan asked Seinfeld for a selfie and made a victory sign while calling “Free Palestine”. Seinfeld then brushed him off and walked away while saying, “I don't care about Palestine.”