Bill Maher Challenges Ignorance Surrounding Israel’s Action Against HAMAS

In a powerful and thought-provoking segment on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, comedian and commentator Bill Maher took aim at the media, campus rhetoric, and left-wing leadership in Washington D.C., regarding the conflict between Israel and HAMAS in the West Bank and Gaza.

Maher's opening remarks drew attention to the changing demographics of the region, particularly in Bethlehem, which was predominantly Christian in 1950 but is now overwhelmingly Muslim.

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He emphasized the importance of recognizing that things change, including countries, boundaries, and empires. Maher pointed out that Palestine was once under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years but is now a region with its own identity.

"And that's my point tonight: Things change," Maher said. "To 2.3 billion Christians, there could be no more sacred site than where their savior was born, but they don't have it anymore. And yet no crusader army has geared up to take it back. Things change- countries, boundaries, empires. Palestine was under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years but today, an ottoman is something you've put under your feet."

Addressing the chants of "From the River to the Sea" and the misguided expectation that Israel should cease to exist as a state, Maher delivered a clear message: Israel is here to stay. He dismissed the notion that Israel is going anywhere and challenged those who believe otherwise.

Maher went on to provide a history lesson, highlighting the displacement of Jews throughout history. He emphasized that people have coped with changes and even colonization throughout history.

The comedian cited examples such as the Jewish family in "Fiddler on the Roof" fleeing from pogroms and the Muslim army that swept out of the Arabian desert and colonized much of the world.

"Real Time" host Bill Maher torched the "myth" promoted by pro-Palestinian activists on college campuses chanting "From the river to the sea." (SCREENSHOT: HBO)

Using visual aids, Maher pointed out the fallacy of demanding all of Israel, as opposed to the West Bank, which was part of the original UN-partition deal. He reminded viewers that the Jewish people also have an ancestral homeland in the region, and that the conflict has seen repeated attacks by those attempting to claim it all, resulting in their own losses.

In a direct challenge to the subtext of pro-Palestine rhetoric, Maher questioned the plan for a "completely Jew-less Palestine." He questioned whether the alternative was to move all the Jews, sarcastically suggesting a fleet of trucks called "Jew-Haul" and even proposing relocating the entire country to Texas.

“Okay, I got to warn you, there’s going to be some kvetching,” he said. “You move all the Jews, and we do this with what? A fleet of trucks called Jew-Haul? And to where are we moving this entire country? Texas? Sure, they have room, and I guess we could put the Wailing Wall on the border and kill two birds with one stone.”

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Closing his segment, Maher urged for a more serious approach to the conflict, emphasizing the need to acknowledge the reality on the ground and work towards a lasting solution.

Bill Maher's commentary serves as a wake-up call to those who perpetuate ignorance and oversimplification when discussing the Israel-HAMAS conflict. His remarks highlight the complexities of history, the importance of acknowledging changing demographics, and the need for a realistic and serious approach to resolving the conflict.