Credit: Wikipedia / Gilad Erdan is an Israeli politician and diplomat. Erdan is the new Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations and Israeli ambassador to the United States.
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
Israel’s Ambassador to the United States strongly condemned a comedy segment on NBC’s Saturday Night Live that said Israel only vaccinated its “Jewish Half” as being anti-Semitic and is demanding an apology. SNL anchor Michael Che’s joke about Israel’s vaccination rollout on the popular comedy show this weekend has ignited intense backlash with several Jewish organizations also calling on the NBC show to apologize. “Saturday’s deeply offensive joke about Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination process not only missed the mark, but crossed the line — basing the premise of the joke on factual inaccuracies and playing into an antisemitic trope in the process,” Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said in a statement to media.
“Israel is reporting that they’ve vaccinated half of their population, and I’m gonna guess it’s the Jewish half,”
-Che said late Saturday during “Weekend Update,” the satirical broadcast news segment on “SNL” he hosts alongside Colin Jost.
Anchor Michael Che during NBC ‘Weekend Update’ on Saturday Night Live, February 20, 2021 (youtube)
“I’m a big fan of humor but, perpetuating antisemitism is not funny…Your “joke” is ignorant. APOLOGIZE!”
-Israeli Ambassador to U.S. Gilad Erdan
.@nbcsnl I’m a big fan of humor but, perpetuating antisemitism is just not funny. Your “joke” is ignorant-the fact is that the success of our vaccination drive is exactly because every citizen of Israel – Jewish, Muslim, Christian-is entitled it. Apologize!pic.twitter.com/zQqtBmFqJ2
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) February 21, 2021
Millions of Palestinians in West Bank, Gaza desperately await COVID Vaccination: Al Jazeera
However, others embraced the SNL joke for calling out the Israeli government, as millions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza desperately await vaccination.
Israel Ambassador to U.S. Also Serves as United Nations Envoy
The government of Israel approved Gilad Erdan as the new Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations and the Ambassador to the US. Erdan replaced Danny Danon, as Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN.
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / © Diplomatic Times / Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations at press conference prior to speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at world headquarters in New York. File
Erdan left his post as Likud Regional Cooperation Minister to take over from Danon at the UN. Born in Ramat Gan, Danon, the 49-year-old member of Likud Party assumed the office on Oct. 15, 2015. Erdan will serve as the UN envoy for three years. He took up diplomatic duties as the Israel’s ambassador to the US after the American President Joe Biden assumed office in January 2021. Erdan’s dual ambassadorships is very unique.
Ambassador Erdan is looking to represent Israel with pride
“I am going to represent Israel with tremendous pride. These are difficult days for Israel and the US — and in particular for US Judaism. The corona virus hit many and it is threatening the lives of citizens and their livelihoods. We must show solidarity with our brothers who are fighting abroad for the existence of Jewish lives.This is a central mission. In the coming years we expect many challenges: Iran, and old and new anti-Semitism.”
-Gilad Erdan said -Times of Israel
Critics Claim Erdan Has “Anti-Palestinian Views”
Critics claim that Erdan has been given senior roles within the far-right Likud Party as well as the government solely because of his anti-Palestinian views” – Middle East Monitor reports.
