Dave Chappelle Says His Comments on Israel-Hamas War Were “Misquoted”

Dave Chappelle is now saying that he was “misquoted” in reports that he accused Israel of committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The Wall Street Journal had reported that during his October 19 show in Boston, Chappelle went into an emotional rant criticizing Israel for cutting off water, electricity and fuel from the Gaza Strip and accusing the Jewish state of killing innocent civilians and committing war crimes. This reportedly prompted a walkout from some audience members. The New York Times reported that Chappelle addressed his remarks during his Wednesday show in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“I’m in trouble because the Jewish community is upset,” Chappelle said. “No matter what you read about that show in Boston, you will never see quotation marks around anything I said. They don’t know what I said. It’s all hearsay.” He added: “The other night, I said something about Palestine in Boston and got misquoted all over the world. And I will not repeat what I said.”

A female audience member then shouted, “Free Palestine!” “Please, please, miss,” replied Chappelle. “Listen. Don’t start it up or I’m going to be in the news cycle for another week. This thing that’s happening in the Middle East is bigger than everybody.” The 50-year-old comedian continued: “I understand what’s happening in Israel is a nightmare. What’s happening in Palestine is a nightmare.”

He added: “There’s only two kinds of people in the world: people who love other people and the people that have things to make them afraid to love other people. Pray for everyone in Israel. Pray for everyone in Palestine.”

The Times also reported that there was a “commotion” in the “upper level” of the arena during the show, prompting Chappelle to joke: “That still might be the Jews coming for me.” He then reportedly stretched out the word “sorry” and said, “I don’t want the Jews to know what I said.”

Chappelle addressed the Israel-Hamas war again the following night in Charlotte, according to a review from The Charlotte Observer. “As an American, I think we should all make our countrymen who are Jewish feel safe,” the Observer quoted Chappelle as saying. “We should make ’em feel safe, so that they don’t feel like they have to support the destruction of another people to be safe.” The comedian then said that “Israel and Palestine are married to one another” and “whether they like it or not, they’re gonna have to figure that s— out.”