Israeli Activist Yosef Hadad Physically Attacked by American Conservative Commentator During Podcast

A physical confrontation occurred between Israeli advocacy activist Yosef Hadad and American right-wing commentator Dennis Paitosa, known online as “Def Noodles,” during the recording of the Digital Social Hour podcast in Las Vegas. The incident, captured on video and shared on social media overnight between Monday and Tuesday, began inside the studio and escalated outside.

During the heated debate, Paitosa lost his composure, verbally abusing Hadad and calling him a "baby killer." The tension escalated when Paitosa grabbed Hadad by both hands, prompting Hadad to pull him toward a table. Production staff and other participants intervened to separate them. Outside the studio, Paitosa approached Hadad from behind and launched a physical attack, which resulted in a scuffle where Hadad struck Paitosa before others restrained them.

The podcast, hosted by entrepreneur Sean Kelly, features one guest debating ten opponents with opposing views, often for hours. Hadad had announced his intention to confront ten critics of Israel during his U.S. visit. Paitosa, a far-right activist who unsuccessfully ran in the June Republican primary for California’s 30th congressional district, later claimed Hadad admitted to ordering bombings and attacks on schools during his military service, accusing him of mocking victims.

Hadad, an Arab-Israeli who served in the Golani Brigade and was seriously wounded in the Second Lebanon War, described Paitosa as a neo-Nazi who tried to turn the debate physical. He criticized the other participants for blaming Israelis for the violence, calling it typical anti-Israel propaganda that attacks Israel aggressively and then plays the victim when Israel defends itself.

The incident highlights the intense and sometimes volatile nature of political discourse surrounding Israel in American media and social platforms.