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‘No moral compass’: Einbinder condemned after ‘free Palestine’ Emmy comments
The actress, who won an award for her performance in HBO's 'Hacks' later described it as her 'obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel'
A Jewish-American actress has been condemned by US Jews after using an Emmy-award acceptance speech to tell the audience “free Palestine” and subsequently stating it was her “obligation” to distinguish between Jews and Israel.
In an interview after her acceptance speech, Hannah Einbinder, who won in the “outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series” category in HBO’s Hacks, said: “It is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel. Our religion and our culture is such an important and long-standing institution that is really separate to this sort of ethnonationalist state.”
Einbinder has been an active supporter of anti-Israel initiatives for some time, having signed a recent declaration by some 1,300 filmmakers, including Hollywood A-listers such as Olivia Coleman, Mark Ruffalo and Emma Stone, who have “pledge[d] not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”
Responses from American Jews included “A nepo baby actress I hadn’t heard of publicly mocking Israel to show she’s one of the ‘good’ Jews is the perfect mixture of cowardice and pick me syndrome”, and “Any Jewish actress who uses her 15 minutes of fame to show support for the terrorists holding 48 hostages in Gaza has no moral compass.”
Journalist John Podhoretz described Einbinder as a “monstrous cutie-pie poseur”, before addressing the actress by saying “Israel will always be there to take you in when you need it, despite your despicable, illiterate, and performative hatred of the state that gives your people refuge.”
Others focused on Einbinder’s decision to wear an “Artists for Ceasefire” lapel pin, featuring a pair of red hands. Avital Leibovich, director of the AJC’s Israel office, said: “Dear Hannah Einbinder. When you wear the pin of the red hand on your fancy borrowed gown, please know that it was created after 2 Israelis were murdered in cold blood in Ramallah in 2000. The murderer waved his bloody hand as mobs were cheering outside.”
Einbinder was not the only one to use the event to polish their anti-Israel bona fides. Javier Bardem, the Spanish A-list actor known for his pro-Palestinian activism, took to the red carpet in a Palestinian keffiyeh, telling an interviewer that he would “not work” with any tv or film company “who justifies or supports the genocide”. Bardem, known for films including No Country for Old Men and Skyfall, has previously condemned the IDF to the Nazis. He was nominated for an Emmy in the Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series, but did not win.
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