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Actor Michael Rapaport Stars in Israeli Satire of US College Presidents’ Antisemitism Testimony
Michael Rapaport, left, portraying Professor Dumbledore from the ‘Harry Potter’ series in an episode of ‘Eretz Nehederet.’ Photo: Screenshot
Comedian and actor Michael Rapaport was a guest star in the latest episode of the Israeli comedy satire show Eretz Nehederet on Tuesday, taking part in a Harry Potter-inspired parody that addressed the recent and widely derided congressional testimonies given by top American college presidents about antisemitism at their universities.
Rapaport, who arrived in Israel early Tuesday, portrayed the famed character Professor Dumbledore overseeing a hearing of the heads of houses at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to discuss the issue of “anti-mudbloodism” in the school. He pressured the heads of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin to answer if “advocating for the genocide of mudbloods violates the code of conduct on bullying and harassment” at the school’s different houses.
On behalf of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall answered, “It’s a context-dependent decision … Context. It’s a new spell that makes everything wrong, right.” Professor Sprout, from Hufflepuff, replied, “Yes. Or no … If speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment.”
“It’s just words, not even the N-word,” Sprout added. “When they start killing mudbloods, then, yes, that would be harassment.”
“If they kill all of them, it’s classified as bullying, and we might take action, depending on the context,” McGonagall added.
Professor Snape, from the house of Slytherin, finally replied to Rapaport’s question by satirically saying, “As a Slytherin professor, I do have some feelings against them [mudbloods]. But on the other hand, as a half-blood myself, I think calling for their genocide is perfectly all right.”
Rapaport, as a frustrated Professor Dumbledore, said in reply, “I wanna Avada Kedavra myself in the f—king head,” referencing a spell that kills. “What happened to you all? This used to be a good school. Have the dark forces penetrated the castle walls?!”
At the end of the skit, Rapaport looked into the camera and said, “If you didn’t get the metaphor, that’s because you’re as stupid as a Harvard graduate.”
The Hogwarts professors offered similar responses given by the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) when asked by US Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) in a hearing last week whether calls for the genocide of Jews violated each university’s code of conduct. The presidents did not directly answer the question.
“We embrace a commitment to free expression even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful — it’s when that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying, harassment, and intimidation,” Harvard President Claudine Gay said, refusing to provide a definitive answer.
“Does that speech not cross that barrier? Does that speech not call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel?” Stefanik asked, visibly disturbed by Gay’s answer.
“We embrace a commitment to free expression and give a wide berth to free expression even of views that are objectionable, outrageous, and offensive,” Gay responded. She also said that calls implying the genocide of Jews and Israelis “can be [considered bullying or harassment] depending on the context.”
Penn President Elizabeth Magill had a similar exchange with Stefanik.
“It is a context-dependent decision, congresswoman,” Magill said. “If the speech becomes conduct, it can be harassment, yes.”
“Conduct meaning committing the act of genocide?” Stefanik asked. “The speech is not harassment? This is unacceptable Ms. Magill.”
MIT President Sally Kornbluth said calling for the genocide of Jews violates the university’s code of conduct regarding bullying and harassment “if targeting individuals, not making public statements.”
The school presidents’ equivocating sparked widespread outrage, with Jewish leaders and non-Jewish allies lambasting the administrators and calling for them to resign.
Magill resigned from her position over the weekend.
The post Actor Michael Rapaport Stars in Israeli Satire of US College Presidents’ Antisemitism Testimony first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.