11,100 – Tally on the death toll in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
4609 – Children lost their lives in Gaza.
2700, 1500 – Adults and children, respectively, are still reportedly missing in Gaza.
45 – Percent of Gaza’s housing units damaged. Air strikes on hospitals, refugee camps, and “safe zones.”
28,000 – People were injured in the incessant air strikes. Most are left disabled for life if they are granted one.
1200 – Israelis were killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7.
230 – Israelis are held hostage by Hamas.
The Israel-Hamas war has surpassed the discourse phase and moved to an alarming rate of immediate calls for a ceasefire. Regardless of divergent opinions, most are joining hands for a truce instead of further escalation.
The geopolitical conflict has also resulted in global reverberations as people are engaging in digital war. The “cancellation” wave is submerging celebrities who spoke out against either side. People are getting fired for expressing radical opinions, and corporations are incurring losses due to mass boycotts.
And now, yet another celebrity is under heavy scrutiny for trivializing a serious issue.
On November 13, 2023, a shared video on X exposes Noah Schnapp smiling and flaunting stickers that say, “Zionism is sexy,” and “Hamas is ISIS.” He is seen recording a group of people posing with similar stickers. Schnapp received immense backlash after the video went viral.
Per Schnapp’s own tweet, the “Stranger Things” actor is Jewish American.
Noah Schnapp Real Heritage
Noah Schnapp, 19, was born in New York City to parents Mitchell and Karine Schnapp. The actor, who became famous for playing Will Byers on “Stranger Things,” has deep roots in Jewish ancestry.
Schnapp’s father, Mr. Mitchell, comes from a Russian-Jewish heritage, while his mother, Karine, is of Moroccan-Jewish origin. As per Wikipedia, Noah celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in Israel.
The young actor has been unequivocal about his support for Israel after Hamas attacks on October 7. He declared in his post–
“You either stand with Israel, or you stand with terrorism. It shouldn’t be a difficult choice. Shame on you.”
Noah Schnapp’s Jewish lineage is confirmed by his own post that states–
“As a Jewish American, I am afraid. Afraid for my brothers and sisters in Israel, who have been senselessly attacked by Hamas. I am truly heartbroken to see the brutal murders of innocent children, women, and soldiers fighting to defend themselves.”
However, in consequent posts, the Stranger Things actor agreed with the need for peace between the two nations and believes that people should not be choosing sides.
Noah Schnapp’s Zionism Video Explained
Here are the key takeaways from the video–
- Noah Schnapp is seen recording his friends at a fine-dine restaurant. (Netizens pointed out this fact, stating that Schnapp is implying his stance in a privileged setup while millions are starving due to the food supplies cut-off in Gaza).
- His friends are posing and making silly faces with stickers. The main issue arises because the stickers read– “Zionism is sexy” and “Hamas is ISIS,” with severe implications of Islamophobia.
- However, the popular point of contention stemmed from the observation that Schnapp was smiling and making merry, which was perceived by the majority as him clearly taking a side and also justifying the attacks on Palestinians. His actions are scrutinized even more due to his influence since he enjoys a huge fanbase of over 25 million Instagram followers.
Amidst the uproar, netizens also discovered that Schnapp had previously liked a video that was offensive to Muslims and also threw jabs at the queer community.
At the same time, Schnapp’s social media activities reveal that he is propagating misinformation and citing false articles on the recent war.
Due to all these compiling factors, The Tutor’s actor is under blazing fire with pouring criticisms and netizens demanding his removal from recent projects. Meanwhile, some even threatened to boycott the new season of Stranger Things.
Twiterratti Express Their Disdain For Noah Schnapp’s Social Media Posts
What is your take on this? Do you think the actor has crossed the line? Does he deserve to be removed from Stranger Things?
Should the actor be given the benefit of the doubt? Let us know in the comments section below.
