LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian and actor Jon Lovitz took a stand against HBO host John Oliver's views on the Israel-Hamas conflict this week, sparking a divide among fans.
This came after the 'Last Week Tonight' host criticized the United States for its support of Israel and the subsequent "suffering" it has allegedly caused in Gaza, following the massacre by Hamas on October 7, per Sky News.
Lovitz posted a counter-argument in response to a social media post from Oliver's talk show. He pointed out that it was only natural for the US to support its "democratic ally" Israel, as opposed to the radical terror group that was responsible for the death of over 1400 people in the country the previous month.
Lovitz didn’t hold back in expressing his disagreement with Oliver's skepticism towards America's alliance with Israel. He firmly declared, "God bless America. #IstandwithIsrael."
What did John Oliver say?
Jon Lovitz, the Jewish-American comedian, posted a response on Monday to a recent segment on 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'. The segment in question dealt with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
During the segment, Oliver highlighted how US financial aid, weaponry, and training have contributed to the "suffering" of Palestinians at the hands of Israel. He played a clip of a Palestinian man recounting how his daughter was killed by American weapons used by Israelis.
Oliver then made a poignant remark, stating that the "made in America" slogan, a source of pride for many, is associated with "stuff that’s killing people."
He added, "Israel is bombing relentlessly. Again, thousands in Gaza have been killed so far, which honesty shouldn't be a total shock given that earlier on an IDF spokesperson said out loud, the 'emphasis is on damage and not on accuracy.'"
"And there have been some maddening efforts to downplay the suffering in Gaza."
Jon Lovitz's reaction to John Oliver's segment
Lovitz expressed disagreement with Oliver’s presentation of the issue.
He said on X, "Yes. The United States is aligned with Israel, our Democratic ally, not Hamas, a terrorist organization who broke a two-year cease-fire, murdered at least 1,200 innocent civilians, and took 240 civilian hostages back with them. So they could start a never-ending war with Israel and annihilate Israel and then Jews all over the world."
Lovitz continued his critique. He posted again in response to Oliver’s segment, this time sharing an article from Israel Today with the headline, 'Hamas terrorists confess to raping corpses, beheading children'. Lovitz also urged Oliver to discuss this topic on his upcoming show.
In another tweet, he said, "Well.... using your logic.. You buy ties, made in China. China gives money to Russia, which funds their war against Ukraine. So.. you are responsible for all the deaths of Ukrainians."
Jon Lovitz's support for Israel
In recent weeks, the comedian has been vocal on social media, expressing his support for Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas. Just last week, Lovitz took issue with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) after the senator criticized the US for its intention to fund what he described as Israel’s "long-term military occupation over an already battered & impoverished people."
He even noted, "Well, You’ve done a great job at keeping peace in the region. They don’t want peace. They want to kill all Israelis. Read this article and get informed."
He added, "Are you really this naive? You’re not a Communist, you’re a Democratic Socialist. Oh.. that’s like saying, I’m not Christian, I’m a Jew for Jesus! I can’t believe you’re Jewish. You’re the most anti-Israel senator I’ve ever seen."
Jon Lovitz divides fans
The exchange has led to a divide among fans of both Lovitz and Oliver.
A user tweeted, "Don’t back down @realjonlovitz ! We need more voices like you are not afraid of the anti-Israel establishment!"
Another criticized, "And bless you, Jon Lovitz, for taking this on. (BTW you are hilarious and John Oliver is not funny.)"
"I don't want to hear John Oliver's opinion on literally anything," said another. "I love you man!!!" noted another.
"Now that’s the ticket! Love you Jon. Thank you," mentioned another.
