HBO’s “Real Time” host Bill Maher recently criticized Palestinians for believing “myths” about Israel and defended Christians in the West Bank who have maintained peace as Muslims now predominantly reside in one of believers’ most historically significant locations: Jesus’ birthplace of Bethlehem.
During the “New Rule” segment of the latest episode of his show, the 67-year-old comedian explained that Palestinians have unrealistic expectations and shouldn’t expect Israel to negotiate with a genocidal group, referring to Hamas, the terrorist organization controlling Gaza. Maher joked, “I know it’s supposed to be that magical time of year, but maybe what we all really need right now is a good dose of realism. I see a lot of Nativity scenes when I’m out, as you always do before Christmas, and I can’t help thinking about where that manger really is.”
He added, “It’s in the West Bank, on Palestinian lands controlled by the Palestinian Authority. In 1950, the little town of Bethlehem was 86 percent Christian. Now, it’s overwhelmingly Muslim. And that’s my point tonight: things change. To 2.3 billion Christians, there can be no more sacred site than where their Savior was born, but they don’t have it anymore. And yet, no Crusader army has geared up to take it back. Things change: countries, boundaries, empires. Palestine was under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. But today, an ottoman is something you put under your feet.”
Maher continued, “The city of Byzantium became the city of Constantinople became Istanbul. Not everybody liked it, but you can’t keep arguing the call forever. The Irish had the entire island to themselves, but the British were starting an empire and well, the Irish lost their tip. They blew each other up over it for 30 years. But eventually, everybody comes to an accommodation, except the Palestinians.” Maher’s monologue comes as a new analysis from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) found widespread denial of the fact that “Hamas has committed atrocities against Israeli civilians,” referring to the terror group’s deadly attack against the Jewish state on Oct. 7. It also revealed an uptick in Hamas’ “popularity.”
The PSR data also found support for Hamas among West Bank residents exploded from a mere 12 percent in September, just before the attack against Israel, to 44 percent in this latest survey. Support in Gaza has increased from 38 percent to 42 percent. Additionally, the majority of residents, 72 percent, between Gaza and the West Bank believe Hamas made the “correct decision” when it launched its assault on Israel. Broken down geographically, that number rises to 82 percent in the West Bank and falls to 57 percent in Gaza.