Far-left streamer Hasan Piker stated on Saturday that Israel, in its current formation, does not have a right to exist, comparing its right to exist to that of Nazi Germany.
During an appearance on the podcast "The Breakfast Club," Piker described Israel as an "apartheid state" and a "settler colonial operation" that is "seeking out the expulsion or complete extermination of the indigenous population." He elaborated, "It's like, for me, it's like saying does Nazi Germany have a right to exist or does apartheid South Africa have a right to exist? Does Rhodesia have a right to exist? No, of course not."
When pressed by the show's host, Charlamagne tha God, who asked if Piker was suggesting that MAGA also lacked a right to exist, Piker responded affirmatively, clarifying that this did not equate to advocating for violence against any group.
Piker argued that the question of Israel's right to exist is a tactic used to deflect from actions against Palestinians. "So the, 'Does Israel have a right to exist?' deployment as a statement, as a question, is a technique to shift the conversation away from Israel's crimes against the Palestinians to make it seem like the opposition is actually being crazy, and they want like all Jews to be exterminated, all Israelis to be exterminated, which is not the case," he said.
UCLA professor Benjamin Radd refuted Piker's characterization, telling Fox News Digital that Piker's comments reflect "a profound ignorance of the historical development of the land." Radd stated that while different groups, including Jews, have legitimate indigenous claims to the land, the current Israeli leadership does not invalidate those claims.
Piker also equated Zionism to fascism, stating, "I think the reason why the Israeli society broadly has shifted so far to the right in a matter of decades is because of this ideology that guides Israeli society. It’s Zionism, which I, by the way, have no problems like, equating to fascism because it is a fascist ideology and even make these comparisons to Nazi Germany, which is very frustrating for a lot of people."
The streamer's remarks have drawn criticism and highlighted divisions within the Democratic Party. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has previously campaigned with Piker, issued a statement emphasizing that "nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople," after Piker made a warning to American Jews about potential repercussions if they are seen as singularly invested in Israel.