'They Make Genocide Jokes’ - Meet the Jewish-Israeli Comedian Fighting For a Free Palestine

Quick Overview

Israeli comedian Noam Shusta Eliasi discusses her profound heartbreak over the normalization of genocide jokes within Israeli comedy circles following October 7th, contrasting this with her lifelong activism rooted in growing up in the unique Jewish-Palestinian village of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, and advocating for political action over mere coexistence.

Key Points: Noam Shusta Eliasi reports experiencing "a heartbreak especially here in Israel with comedy" where comedians actively make "genocide jokes and people laugh." Shusta Eliasi grew up in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, "the only place where Jews and Palestinians live together by choice," modeling an alternative to the mainstream Israeli narrative. She criticizes the mainstream "peace community or the coexistence community in Israel" for having "failed miserably," arguing that peace requires justice first, not just empty words. Her own background includes being a tiny minority with her political views, being the daughter of Iranian and Romanian Jewish parents, and speaking fluent Hebrew and Arabic, which sometimes led to suspicion from Israeli intelligence officers. Shusta Eliasi transitioned to comedy because she saw it as a powerful, uncensored tool to reach millions, unlike her previous work at the UN where she felt censored. She notes that after October 7th, even in protest movements for hostage release, there was a demand among some Israelis to avoid discussing Gaza, reflecting a societal "blindness to the elephant in the room." Shusta Eliasi asserts that it is time for "very very brave conversations about Zionism" because Zionist practices inflicted harm on Jews who were not from the "right place," which informs what has been done to Palestinians.

Context: The transcript features an interview between host Miy Hassan and Israeli comedian and activist Noam Shusta Eliasi, discussing her work, her unique upbringing, and the current political and cultural climate in Israel, particularly following the events of October 7th. Shusta Eliasi is known for her documentary "Coexistence My Ass," which explores her life in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, a village founded on Jewish-Palestinian partnership, contrasting this ideal with the harsh political realities she observes in Israeli society and comedy.