Many have criticised DJ Khaled over his silence on Israel’s aggressions and war on Gaza over the past year [Getty]
Palestinian American DJ and record producer DJ Khaled, real name Khaled Mohammed Khaled, has been slammed online after appearing on The Tonight Show where he spoke about Palestine’s national dish, but failed to shed light on Israel’s war on Gaza.
The musician was has been criticised over his apparent silence over the past year, as Israel carried out a vicious and deadly war on Gaza, killing over 44,211 Palestinians and wounding at least 104,567 others.
In clips that have widely circulated online, DJ Khaled introduces presenter and host Jimmy Fallon to Maqlouba, a popular-Palestinian dish made from meat, rice and vegetables.
“They put it in a pot then flip it over. It’s like art” Khaled says, describing the layers of vegetables on top of a bed of spiced rice.
The dish was in honour of his birthday with the presenter celebrating him with a song and cheers, and where Khaled announced it was his favourite meal.
However, online, Khaled was met with scathing criticism from people who denounced his celebration of Palestinian food, but said he has remained silent on the plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation and bombardment.
“Maqlouba is the national dish of the Palestinian people, your people, who you have watched being slaughtered for over a year while you are silent like a coward,” one person wrote.
“Eating maqlouba on national TV and still won’t utter a word about what’s happening to his people…DJ Khaled is a waste of space,” another commented.
The sentiment was echoed by many who highlighted Israel’s ongoing siege on north Gaza, where ambulances, emergency crews and humanitarian aid have not been allowed in to the area for over a month. Â
At least 90 percent of Gaza’s population has been forcibly displaced at least once, while some have been displaced around 10 times since the start of the war on the enclave.
Rights organisations have also raised the alarm over famine and disease in many parts of the enclave.
“DJ Khaled is a Palestinian man who thinks it’s appropriate to eat a Palestinian dish on national TV while ignoring his people’s genocide for 13 consecutive months. There is currently a man-made famine in Northern Gaza that has spread to Southern Gaza. Where is the shame?” one person said on X.
Others denounced his appearance where he failed to speak up more about his heritage, as he seemingly omitted the origins of the dish during the show.
“They put it in a pot and flip it over before you start eating it.” Who is ‘they’? The same Palestinian people whose name you cannot bring yourself to say. The same Palestine where you come from. The same Palestinians who are starving while you have stayed silent,” another said.
The criticism comes as Israel continues to ramp up attacks on Gaza, while starvation and disease are rife.
On Sunday, the Palestinian ministry of health announced that 35 Palestinians were killed, and 94 others wounded just in the last 24 hours.
