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Noah Schnapp and the "Zionism Is Sexy" stickers from his video that resulted in a controversy online.

Noah Schnapp "Zionism Is Sexy" Controversy

Part of a series on 2023-2024 Hamas-Israel Conflict. [View Related Entries]

Updated Nov 16, 2023 at 10:46AM EST by sakshi.

Added Nov 15, 2023 at 04:31AM EST by sakshi.

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Overview

Noah Schnapp "Zionism Is Sexy" Controversy, also known as Noah Schnapp Canceled, refers to discussions and debates about Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp's support of Israel and his perceived endorsement of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Zionism amid the 2023 Israel-Hamas Conflict. Pro-Palestine internet users initially expressed criticism against Schnapp after the actor visited Israel in July 2022, with pressure continuing to grow after he expressed support for Israel following Hamas's attack on October 7th of that year. In November 2023, Schnapp then liked an Instagram video some considered anti-LGBTQ and Islamaphobic, and was later featured in a post in which he can be seen with a group of friends holding up stickers that read "Hamas is ISIS" and "Zionism is Sexy." This led to renewed criticism of the actor from pro-Palestine internet users, who called for boycotts of the upcoming Stranger Things season alongside calls to cancel him.

Background

Noah Schnapp is an American actor best known for his role as the character Will Byers in the Netflix series Stranger Things. In July 2022, Schnapp visited Israel, with several internet users subsequently criticizing him for posing with an "IDF soldier" for a photo (seen below).[1][2][3] However, the woman seen in the image is actually a member of a border patrol unit of the Israel Police,[14] which is not part of the IDF.[15]



On October 11th, 2023, four days after Hamas's attack on Israel, Schnapp took to his Instagram[4] to share a statement condemning Hamas, antisemitism and saying that he wants peace for both Palestinians and Israeli people. The post gathered over 1 million likes in a month (seen below).


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. I, like others, want peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. Let's stop the rhetoric and choosing sides. Instead we must recognize that we are all on the side of the fight against terrorism. Choose humanity over violence. I just reposted a beautiful picture of a young innocent girl whose life was taken by Hamas at a music festival. I was met with comments reading "no one cares free Palestine i" and "She deserves that, and every Israeli terrorist deserves that - Free Palestine". I am outraged by the justification and celebration of the death of a young girls life. Have people lost their minds??? STOP! This is one example of many posts, rallies, and petitions being signed attempting to justify the brutality against these innocent Israeli people. You don't have to be Jewish, you don't have to be Israeli, you just have to have empathy and common sense to know that THIS is wrong.

I have also noticed a silence in social media like never seen before. The same people who love to jump on fashionable causes like supporting Ukraine and combating climate change have been chillingly quiet. The Jewish people are seeing your silence and we won't forget it. 40 babies were beheaded and burned alive in front of their parents by Hamas. I hope we can agree that Hamas are a recognized terrorist organization: they don't represent the Palestinian people when they value murdering Israelis more than protecting their own. You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism. It shouldn't be a difficult choice. Shame on you. While you justify the murders and torture of our loved ones, we will hope and pray for safety, justice, liberation, and self determination in Palestine. While you chant "Gas the Jews", we will say a Jewish prayer for peace for all Israelis and Palestinians. A reminder that we, the Jewish people, with our love for each other and others, are stronger than your hatred. We are strong. We are compassionate. We have prevailed before and we will prevail again.

Developments

On November 6th, 2023, Noah Schnapp was accused of liking a controversial Instagram[5] video posted by author Noa Tishby (as seen in alleged screenshots shared online[16]). The satirical sketch showed actors playing LGBTQ+ college students expressing support for Hamas and Palestine, and video calling with a Hamas fighter who said, "Allah will kill you infidels."



On November 13th, Schnapp was then featured in a video where he was seen sitting in a coffee shop with his friends passing around stickers that said, "Hamas is ISIS" and "Zionism is Sexy." The video was reposted to the subreddit[6] /r/Fauxmoi by /u/HelloKitty_theAlien, gathering over 5,000 upvotes in two days (seen below).


Noah Schnapp with stickers containing phrases “Zionism is Sexy” & “Hamas is Isis”
byu/HelloKitty_theAlien inFauxmoi

Online Reactions

Criticism of Noah Schnapp grew in November 2023, exacerbated by people accusing him of reposting of content from conservative political commentator and podcaster Ben Shapiro (screenshot of alleged repost[17]). Schnapp notably came out as gay in 2023. X[7] user @nomorecaliyo made a post on November 6th, 2023, documenting and criticizing what they perceived as Schnapp's controversial internet history, gathering over 8,000 likes in a week (seen below). The sentiment was echoed by other X users as well.[8]


Over the following days, the video of Schnapp recording a group displaying "Zionism is Sexy" and "Hamas is ISIS" stickers also drew the ire of many internet users, with X[9] user @saintdoII saying, "it fills me with so much rage how palestinian public figures have to be so careful with their words in support of their own people but noah schnapp continuously spreads misinformation, propaganda and disrespects people who are suffering a literal genocide without any consequences," gathering over 150,000 likes in two days. On November 10th, X[10] user @zeid7azboun02 called for people to boycott the upcoming season of Stranger Things regarding the controversy surrounding Schnapp (seen below, right).


@saintdoII it fills me with so much rage how palestinian public figures have to be so careful with their words in support of their own people but noah schnapp continuously spreads misinformation, propaganda and disrespects people who are suffering a literal genocide without any consequences lexie @gomezquality. Nov 13 Noah Schnapp handing out "Hamas is Isis" and "Zionism is sexy" stickers 0:08 8:20 PM . Nov 13, 2023 5.5M Views falling for HUMM (@12chairscafe ZION A NISM BOXY Sexy : @noahschnapp @motiankari BounBaboon @zeid7azboun02 Reminder you should be boycotting Stranger things with that racist and Islamophobic d------- Noah Schnapp in it. + DiscussingFilm @DiscussingFilm . Nov 9 The final season of 'STRANGER THINGS' is now expected to begin filming in a couple of weeks. (Source: Deadline) : 4:41 PM . Nov 10, 2023 2.9M Views

On November 13th, X[11] user @kimwexlcrs posted a purported screenshot of actor John Cusack liking a post equating Noah Schnapp's "Zionism is Sexy" stickers with necrophilia (seen below).


Some internet users rose to Schnapp's defense noting his young age and criticizing the degree of backlash he was receiving. Subreddits such as /r/Jewish[12] and /r/Destiny saw sympathetic posts after November 13th, 2023. For example, Redditor broleft made a post to /r/Destiny[13] on November 13th calling the hate toward Schnapp "disgustingly stupid and pathetic," receiving over 50 upvotes and 40 comments in two days (seen below).


Posted by u/broleft 2 days ago The hate to actor Noah Schnapp is really disgustingly stupid and pathetic Discussion He's gay and Jewish. Both groups Hamas hates. The pro-Hamas crowd should at least turn their ire to celebrities who aren't gay or Jewish, or both. Yeah, duh, celebs who are Jewish and/or gay don't sympathize with Nazi fascists who happen to be self-identified Muslims. Gay people (Jewish and non-Jewish alike) are not going to defend ultra-conservative fascist freaks like Hamas which is linked to the homophobic Russia-Iran axis, which is what many in the "Free Palestine" movement are doing, defending those far-right extremists. They're not going to want to associate with those pro-Hamas people. Just like they're not going to defend far-right homophobic Republicans who hate gay people. Yes, there are homophobes in Israeli politics, but they have much less influence currently than in Palestine, and I don't think there'd be as much uproar in Palestine if the Palestine government started horrifically oppressing gay people all over the Palestinian territories, not just in Gaza, as there would be if Israel did the same thing. And no, it's not left-wing or progressive to hate Israel so much you don't want it to exist. Quite the opposite. You're focusing on the world's only Jewish country. A two-state solution was offered but rejected. The Palestinian leadership doesn't want Israel to exist, so they will never agree to anything, even if it advances Palestine as a country. And even if they did, there would probably be pressure within Palestine to seek conflict with Israel again, because the anti-Zionists don't want Israel to exist.

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External References

[1] X – barbitwt

[2] X – AsalShakhatreh

[3] X – ThePopTingz

[4]  Instagram – Noah Schnapp

[5] Instagram – noatishby

[6] Reddit – Fauxmoi

[7] X – nomorecaliyo

[8] X – lavfeysun

[9] X – saintdoII

[10] X – zeid7azboun02

[11] X – kimwexlcrs

[12] Reddit – /r/Jewish

[13] Reddit – /r/Destiny

[14] X – offaltube

[15] BTSelem – Law Enforcement vis-a-vis Israeli Civilians in the Occupied Territories

[16] X – BuzzingPop

[17] X – nomorecaliyo

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