Jerry Seinfeld sparks controversy with pro-Israel message to fan while at Mets playoff game

Jerry Seinfeld has ne'er been shy astir his affinity for the New York Mets.

But it's lone been successful the past fewer years that he's publically expressed his emotion for the Israel Defense Forces, which helium did again connected Wednesday aft the Mets bushed the rival Philadelphia Phillies successful Queens to beforehand to the National League Championship Series.

Approached by a instrumentality claiming to person a member watching the crippled from the Gaza border, the 70-year-old comic happily offered a connection to the unnamed idiosyncratic successful Israel.

Dressed successful a Mets chapeau and sweatshirt, Seinfeld pounded his chest, pumped his first, and delivered.

'Let's spell IDF,' Seinfeld said successful the video, which went viral aft being shared by a pro-Israeli X account. 'And let's spell Mets!'

The erstwhile Nielsen ratings king of primetime tv drew important online praise for the message, with respective responders thanking him for his input.

'Jerry is awesome,' wrote one.

'He made each of america laughter and present helium makes each of america proud,' added another.  

However, galore others were captious of Seinfeld's enactment for the Israeli regime.

'Cheering connected the terrorists,' 1 idiosyncratic wrote connected X. 

Seinfeld's enactment for Israel amid the country's subject actions successful Gaza and Lebanon has already divided the public. In May, dozens of students walked retired of Duke University's commencement ceremonial chanting 'free Palestine' arsenic Seinfeld addressed the graduating class.

Video from the code besides showed respective attendees leaving the viewing stands, including a idiosyncratic wearing a keffiyeh, which tin beryllium an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Others shouted 'Jerry! Jerry!' arsenic the histrion received an honorary degree, and Seinfeld delivered his code without large interruptions.

'A batch of you are thinking, ''I can't judge they invited this guy.'' Too late,' helium said, aft vowing to 'defend' the conception of privilege.

'I say, usage your privilege. I grew up a Jewish lad from New York. That is simply a privilege if you privation to beryllium a comedian,' helium added.

Seinfeld visited Israel and has vocally supported the state since October 7, 2023, erstwhile militant radical Hamas killed 1,200 radical and abducted 252 others, of whom 133 are believed to stay successful captivity successful Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Meanwhile, Israel's subject operations person killed much than 42,000 Palestinians, according to wellness officials successful the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave.

Prior to his code to Duke students successful Durham, North Carolina, Seinfeld besides took disapproval for visiting an IDF campy connected the West Bank successful 2018.

'I tin ne'er unsee Jerry Seinfeld gleefully posing with a instrumentality weapon astatine an IDF phantasy camp,' 1 idiosyncratic wrote astatine the time.

'Jerry Seinfeld took his kids to play warfare games with the IDF. So cute, right? Now ideate the absorption if, say, Bella Hadid posed with the PFLP oregon DJ Khaled [brandishing a instrumentality gun] hung retired with Hamas,' world and professional of Israel Steven Salaita wrote successful 2018.

Despite the criticism, Seinfeld's enactment for Israel has lone seemed to intensify successful caller years.

'I volition ever basal with Israel and the Jewish people,' helium said pursuing the October 7 attacks successful 2023.