On NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live,’ co-host Michael Che sparked controversy during the ‘Weekend Update’ segment with a joke about Israeli voter turnout and genocide. Che quipped, ‘This week, a record number of people voted in Israel’s election, which is great to see regardless of if you’re on the right side, or the left side, or the genocide.’
A spokesperson from the Campaign Against Antisemitism commented on the joke, recognizing its comedic intent but criticizing the underlying assumption. The spokesperson stated, ‘There’s always a lot of latitude with comedy, and this joke is hardly an exception. The problem is that it’s playing on what has become a widespread but baseless belief that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.’
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The organization stressed that referring to Israel as committing genocide portrays Jews as perpetrators of a crime they themselves suffered during the Holocaust. This portrayal has led to abuse and violence against Jews, including terrorism and murder worldwide.
NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck also criticized Che’s joke, questioning whether viewers truly understood the term genocide. He said, ‘We’re now at the point where it’s a punchline to refer to Israel as a genocidal state. SNL’s ill-informed viewers are unlikely to know the actual meaning of the word.’ Houck suggested that the segment could have spotlighted Arab participation in Israel’s election to challenge genocide claims.
Houck continued, ‘One could have framed it as a dig against the calls of genocide, noting that a country held free and fair elections in which Arabs could vote and did, leading their parties to win 19 seats in the Knesset. Simply put, the word ‘genocide’ shouldn’t be something to joke about.’
In the recent Israeli election, two Arab-led parties were projected to secure 19 seats, per preliminary results. Che’s remark was made alongside co-host Colin Jost in a segment that also critiqued figures like President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance regarding upcoming elections.
Che previously faced backlash in February 2021 for a comment about Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, suggesting favoritism toward Jewish citizens. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) criticized the joke, stating it ‘crossed the line.’ The American Jewish Committee called for a retraction and apology, noting vaccines in Israel were available to all citizens regardless of religion or ethnicity.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Israeli government and the White House for remarks but had not received a response. CJ Womack, a Fox News associate editor since 2026, who graduated from Long Beach State University, focuses on the impact of journalism on politics and culture. For news tips, contact [email protected].
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