When Barack Obama spoke about a certain moral parity between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, many conservative political analysts and Republicans criticized him. However, an unusual criticism came from someone who tends to side with the former president, Bill Maher. The analyst dedicated part of his monologue to the Democrat and confessed that he managed to disappoint him.
During an interview with Pod Save America, led by some members of his administration, Obama indicated that "we are all complicit" in the escalation of violence in the Middle East.
"What Hamas did was horrible and has no justification. And what is also true is that the occupation, and what is happening to the Palestinians, is unbearable. If you want to solve the problem, you have to accept the whole truth. And then you have to admit that no one has clean hands, that all of us are complicit to some extent," added the former president.
“I am struggling with people’s moral equivalencies, still. I mean, Barack Obama, who has rarely disappointed me, did so this week…There’s a big difference between collateral damage and what Hamas did…” pic.twitter.com/ISqNmN30rk
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) November 11, 2023
"Barack Obama, who has rarely disappointed me, did so this week"
Bill Maher heard and addressed the comments on his show "Real Time." The popular presenter said that the former president's statements were not very useful since "there is a big difference between collateral damage and what Hamas did."
"I have to say, I am struggling with people's moral equivalency, still. I mean, Barack Obama, who has rarely disappointed me, did so this week. I mean, 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 that nobody's hands are clean.' Literally, that's true, of course. But just give you two examples where this is, I don't think is a useful statement at this moment. First of all, the attack was only a month ago- A more savage attack than we have ever seen in reverse. There is a big difference between collateral damage and what Hamas did," he said.
"When they shoot at Israel, it's a war. When Israel fires back, it's a war crime"
He then took aim at moral parity itself. "Secondly, the Israelis are now having a four-hour pause for people to get out. So people say, 'Oh wow, big of them'. Okay, but it's a war that the other side started! It's so interesting. When they fire at Israel, it's a war. When Israel fires back, it is a war crime. A bit crazy... Also, would Hamas do that? Would they take four-hour breaks? No, no pausing. (...) So enough with the moral equivalences, please," he added.
Finally, Maher asked his panel not to forget the "Islamic fanaticism" of Hamas members, "because you're not supposed to talk about it anymore, because if you do, even if it's realistic, it becomes Islamophobic."
