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Cultural Antisemitism: Jewish Comedians Dropped From UK Arts Festival Due to Israel Support
Performers at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024. Photo: Andrew Wilson/EEm/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Two Jewish comedians had their shows cancelled from a major arts and culture festival in the city of Edinburgh in Scotland because of their pro-Israel views along with “safety concerns” expressed by staff members at the venues.
Philip Simon was set to perform his solo show “Shall I Compere Thee in a Funny Way?” at the venue Banshee Labyrinth as part of the annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which runs from Aug. 1-25. But on Saturday, he was told that the venue has cancelled his show due to the fact that his “views concerning the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine … are in significant conflict with our venue’s stance against the current Israeli government’s policy and actions,” according to Simon.
“We feel it is inappropriate for us to provide a platform for performers whose views and actions align with the rhetoric and symbology of groups associated with humanitarian violations,” the venue further explained in a statement to the comedy website Chortle. They expressed concerns with Simon’s pro-Israel statements and opinions on X, formerly known as Twitter. They cited specific tweets, which include a recap of a pro-Israel rally that Simon attended and support for the hostages abducted by Hamas terrorists from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Simon said in a statement on social media that he has “never expressed support for anything other than freeing the hostages and finding a way for peace.”
“It is sad to think that these views could conflict with anyone who wants to see a lasting peace in Gaza and Israel,” he added.
Late last week, Simon’s comedy variety show “Jew-O-Rama,” which features Jewish and non-Jewish comedians, was also cancelled from the Edinburgh Festival by Whistle Binkies, the venue scheduled to host the show. Jewish comedian, writer and director Rachel Creeger was set to perform her solo show “Ultimate Jewish Mother” at the same venue as part of the festival, but her show was also cancelled.
Neither of the shows are about Israel or politics. Simon has been doing his show for nine years and five times at Whistle Binkies. This year would have marked Creeger’s third year performing “Ultimate Jewish Mother” at Whistle Binkies. She is the only practicing orthodox Jewish woman on the comedy circuit in the United Kingdom, according to her bio on Instagram. She wrote in an op-ed for Jewish News that Whistle Binkies has been supportive in the past and even told her last year: “We’ll look after you, no one messes with OUR Jews.”
Creeger and Simon both claimed that their Edinburgh Festival shows were cancelled because staff at the venue complained about security concerns and not feeling safe if the venue hosted the two acts. Managers at Whistle Binkies “have cited bar staff discomfort at hosting Jewish shows,” according to an explanation shared on the Facebook page for the podcast “Jew Talkin’ To Me?” which Simon and Creeger co-host.
“When it comes to safety, they said they felt that the extra safety precautions that many Jewish performers are subject to at the moment, due to rising antisemitism, made them feel, ironically, more unsafe,” Creeger told Times Radio on Sunday. “They also cited that they had increased graffiti in the venue since having us, which they found threatening, we’re not sure why – we certainly weren’t the people creating the graffiti.”
“I am still processing the concept that in 2025 I can be cancelled just for being Jewish,” Simon said on Sunday in response to two of his shows being cancelled by the Edinburgh Festival. He hopes to find alternative venues for both of his cancelled shows and asked supporters to not boycott the venues because “they are hosting some incredible acts who I wouldn’t want to suffer negatively because of this.”
Outage from fellow comedians, politicians and pro-Israel groups has been escalating since the cancellation of the comedy shows.
“That is a shocking state of affairs,” Shadow Scotland Secretary Andrew Bowie told Times Radio. “Everybody should be welcome to this country, regardless of their faith, regardless of where they’ve come from, to perform at the Edinburgh festival or anywhere else for that matter.”
The organization UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) said on Sunday it has written to the Whistle Binkies, informing them that its decision to cancel Simon and Creeger’s shows are in breach of the Equality Act 2010 if they are being discriminated against based on the protected characteristics of race, religion and belief. “This is classic antisemitism, even if it is dressed up as safety fears,” said a UKLFI spokesperson.
Simon’s children’s show at the Edinburgh Festival – “School’s Out Comedy Club” – is still scheduled to move forward as planned.
The post Cultural Antisemitism: Jewish Comedians Dropped From UK Arts Festival Due to Israel Support first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Vows to Press on with Offensive
Smoke rises following an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, August 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Israeli planes and tanks pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of Gaza City overnight Saturday to Sunday, destroying buildings and homes, residents said, as Israeli leaders vowed to press on with a planned offensive on the city.
Witnesses reported the sound of explosions non-stop overnight in the areas of Zeitoun and Shejaia, while tanks shelled houses and roads in the nearby Sabra neighborhood and several buildings were blown up in the northern town of Jabalia.
Fire lit the skies from the direction of the explosions, causing panic, prompting some families to stream out of the city. Others said they would prefer to die and not leave.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces have returned to combat in the Jabalia area in recent days, to dismantle militant tunnels and strengthen control of the area.
It added that the operation there “enables the expansion of combat into additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning to operate in these areas.”
Israel approved a plan this month to seize control of Gaza City, describing it as the last bastion of Hamas. It is not expected to begin for a few weeks, leaving room for mediators Egypt and Qatar to try and resume ceasefire talks.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday vowed to press on with the offensive on the city where famine has been declared, which has raised alarm abroad and objections at home. Katz has said that Gaza City will be razed unless Hamas agrees to end the war on Israel’s terms and release all hostages.
Hamas said in a statement on Sunday that Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City showed it wasn’t serious about a ceasefire.
It said a ceasefire agreement was “the only way to return the hostages,” holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for their lives.
The proposal on the table calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages held in Gaza and of 18 bodies. In turn, Israel would release about 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Once a temporary ceasefire begins, the proposal is for Hamas and Israel to begin negotiations on a permanent ceasefire that would include the return of the remaining hostages.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said that Israel would immediately resume negotiations for the release of all 50 hostages – of whom Israel believes around 20 are still living – and an end to the nearly two-year-old war but on terms acceptable to Israel.
‘HUNGRY AND AFRAID’
Around half of the enclave’s two million people currently live in Gaza City. A few thousand have already left, carrying their belongings on vehicles and rickshaws.
“I stopped counting the times I had to take my wife and three daughters and leave my home in Gaza City,” said Mohammad, 40, via a chat app. “No place is safe, but I can’t take the risk. If they suddenly begin the invasion, they will use heavy fire.”
Others said they will not leave, no matter what.
“We are not leaving, let them bomb us at home,” said Aya, 31, who has a family of eight, adding that they couldn’t afford to buy a tent or pay for the transportation, even if they did try to leave. “We are hungry, afraid and don’t have money.”
A global hunger monitor said on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine that will likely spread. Israel has rejected the assessment and says it ignores steps it has taken since late July to increase aid.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
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Iran Signals Willingness to Scale Back Uranium Enrichment to Ease Tensions
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
i24 News – Iran may be prepared to significantly reduce its uranium enrichment levels in a bid to stave off renewed UN sanctions and limit the risk of further strikes by Israel and the United States, according to a report published Sunday in The Telegraph.
Citing Iranian sources, the paper said Tehran is considering lowering enrichment from 60% to 20%.
The move is reportedly being championed by Ali Larijani, the newly appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who is holding talks with regime leaders.
“Larijani is trying to convince the system to reduce the level of enrichment in order to avoid further war,” a senior Iranian official told the paper.
The proposal, however, faces stiff resistance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has long opposed concessions on the nuclear program. Still, the report suggests Iran’s leadership may be open to greater flexibility, including the possibility of reviving engagement with Western powers.
Last month, i24NEWS reported exclusively that a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to travel to Iran. The team of technical experts would seek to resume monitoring of nuclear sites, inspections that have been heavily restricted in recent years.
The development comes amid mounting regional tensions and could represent a critical turning point in the long-running nuclear standoff.
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Major Brush Fire Erupts Near Jerusalem, Evacuations Underway
A view of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train seen over the HaArazim Valley (“Valley of Cedars”) just outside of Jerusalem, Sept. 25, 2018. Photo: Yossi Zamir/Flash90.
i24 News – A large brush fire broke out Sunday in the Cedars Valley area, near Route 1 and the Motza interchange, prompting an emergency response from Jerusalem district fire services. Several water-bombing planes were dispatched, and authorities have declared a “fire emergency.”
As a precaution, residents of Mevaseret Zion are being evacuated. Access to the town from Route 1 has already been blocked, and officials are weighing a full closure of the major highway.
Fire crews from the Ha’uma station are on site working to contain the flames, while motorists in the area are urged to heed traffic updates and follow instructions from emergency services.
Eight firefighting aircraft are currently operating above the blaze in support of ground teams. The fire comes amid one of the hottest, driest summers on record, with conditions fueling a series of destructive wildfires across the country.
Officials warn the situation remains critical, as the blaze threatens a vital transportation corridor leading into Jerusalem.