As the world reacted Saturday to the news of Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel, a video clip of the late comedian Joan Rivers began circulating on social media.
In the clip, which entertainment site TMZ first aired just weeks prior to Rivers’ death in 2014, the legendary comic delivered a perfect summary of the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians — along with an analogy comparing them to New York and New Jersey.
WATCH:
TMZ approached Rivers in late July, two weeks into what would turn out to be 50 days of hostilities between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and asked for her reaction to the situation that was still unfolding.
“Let me just tell you,” Rivers prefaced. “If New Jersey were firing rockets into New York, we would wipe ’em out … if we heard they were digging tunnels from New Jersey to New York, we’d get rid of Jersey.”
“So I don’t want to hear anymore, ‘we’ll do a partial truce,'” she continued in mocking tones. “The Palestinians, you cannot throw rockets and expect people not to defend themselves.”
The reporter raised the question of civilian casualties then, and Rivers pushed right back, arguing that if Hamas terrorists insisted on storing their weapons caches in private homes — effectively using the residents as human shields — then the onus was on them.
“Civilian — well then don’t put your God-d*** things in private homes,” she said, waving her finger in accusatory fashion. “I’m sorry, don’t you dare put weapons stashes in private homes.”
The reporter asked where civilians were supposed to go, and Rivers replied, growing louder with every exclamation. “I don’t care. They started it. They’re all insane. They started it! What are you all saying? They started it! The Israelis did not throw their — for months this has been going on.”
The reporter tried once more. asking Rivers how she knew the Israelis hadn’t started the conflict.
Without missing a beat, Rivers replied, “Because I have been over there. That’s how I know. And I wish the world would know. And the BBC should be ashamed of themselves. And CNN should be ashamed of themselves. And everybody, stop it already.”