Tribeca Film Festival organizers condemned Elon Gold’s joke about being raped by Israeli dogs as “offensive and unacceptable” on Sunday, after “The Wedding Entertainer” star made the comment to influencer Lizzy Savetsky, who continued the joke.
“The Tribeca Festival is aware of the concerns raised regarding a clip circulating on social media and unequivocally condemns the offensive and unacceptable remarks made by Elon Gold and Lizzy Savetsky at the premiere of ‘The Wedding Entertainer (The Tale of Moishe Badhan),’” a statement shared on social media reads.
“Sexual violence and human suffering should never be mocked or minimized. The comments do not reflect the Tribeca Festival’s values, and we regret the hurt and offense they have caused. We have not been able to reach the filmmakers.”
While speaking to Savetsky, Gold noted the movie was filmed in Israel. “It’s a really big deal, and for a film made in Israel, that’s pretty damn cool. I was only raped by two Israeli dogs,” he said.
“I thought they only raped Palestinians,” Savetsky, an outspoken supporter of Israel, answered.
“No, I got also a dog,” Gold added.
In May the United Nations called on Israel “to review and revise its detention laws, policies and practices” in response to allegations of abuse and torture by Israeli guards against Palestinians in custody. A recent United Nations report “counted 52 incidents of different forms of torture or other ill-treatment, and another 33 incidents of sexual torture and other sexualised ill-treatment.”
Those incidents reportedly include “severe beatings, stress positions, excessive restraints, electrocution, sleep deprivation, malnutrition and starvation, prolonged incommunicado detention, and inhumane and degrading conditions marked by overcrowding, unhygienic conditions and spread of diseases, denial of medical care, and lack of sunlight and ventilation.”
They also include allegations of sexual torture. “Eleven male detainees reported beatings, grabbing, electrocuting and mauling by dogs, of their genitals. Humiliating and degrading strip searches, including sexual gazing at and intimidating female and male detainees, were recorded.”
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