Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed a “Saturday Night Live” scheme that stated that Israel only vaccinated “half the Jewish” population.
“This is just outrageous,” Netanyahu said in an interview Thursday with “Fox & Friends” when asked about the comedy routine that was worth it.
“It’s so fake.”
“In fact, I brought vaccines and I went especially to the Arab communities, to the Arab citizens of Israel, and I vaccinated as many as we can. I already had to go to half a dozen Arab communities, talk to the mayors, take the leaders, take the doctors there, Arab doctors, ”he said.
Last month’s segment of the show’s “Weekend Update” sparked allegations that the joke was anti-Semitic and sparked protests outside NBC studios.
“Israel reports that half of its population has been vaccinated. I’m going to guess that it’s half Jewish, ”said Michael Che.
The former state assemblyman, Dov Hikind, was one of those who erupted in Che at the time out of ignorance.
“But Michael Che or whoever wrote this ‘joke,’ obviously also ignores the fact that Israel has Arab citizens who have received the vaccine according to the same qualifications as the Jews!” wrote on Twitter.
Israel has vaccinated 53.2% of the population with the first dose and 39% have received the second shot, Haaretz reported, citing data from the Ministry of Health. (…)
According to the Jewish Virtual Library, Jews make up almost 74% of the Israeli population and Arabs 21.1%.