Israeli police interrogate Palestinian comedian over stand-up shows
Israeli police briefly detained and questioned Palestinian artist and comedian Nidal Badarneh on Monday over his stand-up shows, according to his family.
His home in Haifa was raided, and the Palestinian citizens of Israel was taken in for investigation under the pretext of "posing a danger to the public," the family told Arab48 news outlet.
The arrest followed calls from far-right Israeli groups to cancel his shows, including one in Nazareth last Friday.
Israeli officers also reportedly pressured gallery owners to cancel his performances without legal grounds.
Another show in Haifa was cancelled by police to "preserve the safety of the audience," with far-right groups claiming the show addressed Israeli detainees in Gaza.
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His family believes the arrest is part of a broader campaign against Badarneh, fuelled by far-right incitement. They accused police of targeting him through threats to cancel his shows.
"This arrest comes as a result of a fierce fascist media incitement campaign against Nidal and the comedic artistic content he presents," they said.
'The police anywhere in the world don’t engage in this form of ‘bullying,’ but it seems they’re acting based on the incitement of the far-right'
- Nidal Badarneh, comedian
Badarneh had previously spoken to Arab48, saying Israeli police warned him not to perform in Nazareth. He criticised the police for bypassing the law and acting as a "body separate from the law".
"They told me word for word, ‘It’s not good for you to come to Nazareth, and if you hold the show, we will take action and not allow you to do so,’” the comedian said.
"The police anywhere in the world don’t engage in this form of ‘bullying,’ but it seems they’re acting based on the incitement of the far-right. The bans on the shows in Haifa and Nazareth have no legal basis."
Badarneh plans to take legal action, working with Adalah, a Haifa-based legal centre, to protect his rights and continue his work. The centre sent an urgent letter to the Israeli attorney general last week urging intervention to stop the targeting of Badarneh.
"The police have recently been exploiting this charge extensively to investigate violations of freedom of expression illegally and to avoid obtaining the required approvals from the Public Prosecution,” the centre said.
Silencing dissenting voices
Adalah also highlighted that the "unlawful" political persecution of Badarneh was part of a wider effort to suppress Palestinian expression in Israel since 7 October 2023.
This has led to nearly 200 incitement charges and numerous illegal arrests aimed at intimidating artists and halting their performances.
On Wednesday, Israeli police raided the home of a journalist and former game announcer for the Bnei Sakhnin football club, Saeed Hassanain.
The Palestinian citizen of Israel was arrested on suspicion of "incitement" after criticising Israel and the army's actions during an interview with Al-Aqsa TV. He stated, “The IDF is an occupying army, Israel is the enemy."
Hassanain denounced Palestinian citizens of Israel who enlisted in the army, calling them "weak-minded".
He also praised Hamas for how they treated captives held in Gaza, saying: "The Islamic Resistance acted with complete humanity according to Islamic law and proved to the world that Hamas preserves human dignity and respects the women who were captured on 7 October. Hamas defended them according to religious teachings, Islamic law, and Palestinian conscience."
Hassanain's remarks caused public anger in Israel, leading to his dismissal as the Bnei Sakhnin's announcer and his arrest.
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