Bill Maher criticizes Obama’s remarks on Israel-Hamas conflict
11:17 AM, November 11, 2023
“Real Time” host Bill Maher has expressed his disappointment with former President Barack Obama over his recent comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Maher accused Obama of pushing “moral equivalency” between the Jewish state and the Palestinian militant group.
During a discussion with Pod Save America, Obama said, “What Hamas did was horrific, and there is no justification for it. And what is also true is that the occupation, and what’s happening to Palestinians, is unbearable. If you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth. And then you have to admit nobody’s hands are clean, that all of us are complicit to some degree.”
Maher responded by saying, “I must say I am struggling with people’s moral equivalency still. I mean, Barack Obama, who has rarely disappointed me, did so this week… His statement, I mean, it’s not a horrible statement, but he said, ‘If you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth and then you have to admit nobody’s hands are clean.’ Literally that’s true, of course. But just giving two examples where this is I don’t think a helpful statement at this moment.”
He also pointed out that there are significant differences between the actions of Israel and Hamas, particularly in terms of the recent attack and the response to it. Maher criticized Obama for not acknowledging these differences and for making what he believes to be an unhelpful statement.
Maher’s remarks come as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues to escalate, with both sides exchanging fire and facing international condemnation for the civilian casualties. While Obama’s comments aimed to highlight the complexity of the situation, they have drawn criticism from those who believe it is important to clearly distinguish between the actions of both parties.
Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.