Second Israeli Comedian Faces Backlash Over Druze Jokes

Following the controversy surrounding comedian Shahar Hason's jokes about the Druze community, an older clip of actor and comedian Daniel Chen has resurfaced, featuring a nearly identical joke. The clip, from January 2025, shows Chen on stage discussing the concept of the Jewish people as chosen, then turning to the Druze, saying, "Druze, you were chosen to help them." He proceeds to imitate a Druze accent, reference the imprisoned Druze figure Azam Azam, and use stereotypes, including a reference to grape leaves.

Chen's joke mirrors Hason's by touching on the idea of a "partnership" between Jews and Druze, and specifically states, "We must never let them know they put up the flag of pride. Did you hear what I'm telling you? It will ruin the entire partnership." Unlike Hason's recent joke, Chen's appears to have gone largely unnoticed until now.

However, the resurfaced clip has drawn criticism from Druze individuals online. One commenter stated, "Laughing at the accent is fine, no problem. But laughing at our flag is out of the question and disrespectful, like me laughing at tefillin." The article also explores the legal standing of such jokes, noting that Section 4 of the Defamation Law concerning defamation of a public group may not apply, as the Druze community is considered a public, not a corporate, entity, thus limiting grounds for a civil lawsuit.