Jewish-American actor Michael Rapaport, who has become a vocal advocate for Israel over the past year, revealed in an interview with i24News that his anger toward Hollywood's response to the Israel-Hamas conflict has only intensified in recent months, particularly following his emotional meeting with former hostage Yarden Bibas.
"I'm angry, I'm more angry now than I was yesterday. About the silence, the hypocrisy, the idiotacy, the lack of empathy, the lack of learning, the lack of wanting to educate yourself on the facts," Rapaport said in the interview. "We've had 450 days to educate yourself on this situation. The hypocrisy in my business is something I'm still trying to deal with. Because I don't have any other skill, I'm not a plumber, I'm not a basketball coach, I'm not a teacher. This is what I do. So it's been frustrating."
The actor expressed particular disappointment with fellow Jewish performers who have remained silent or ambivalent about the situation in Israel. "I don't expect everyone to support in the same way; there's different ways to support, but you have to support," he emphasized. "One of the most important things for me, that I'm clear on, is that if one Jew is suffering – we are all suffering. There's no disconnect for me between Israeli Jews and Jews from New York City or Jewish people from California. We're together."
Describing his meeting with Yarden Bibas, whose wife Shiri and two young children, Ariel and Kfir, remain in Hamas captivity, Rapaport was visibly moved. "He's a unique person. What he went through and what his family went through is unprecedented. Meeting him was very emotional for me, but I believe that Hashem [God] doesn't give you more than you can take on. I believe that through all of what he's been through, he'll be okay."
Throughout the interview, Rapaport maintained his characteristic outspokenness, refusing to temper his criticism of what he perceives as Hollywood's failure to properly acknowledge and respond to the October 7 attacks and subsequent hostage crisis.
The actor concluded with a message directed to Israeli citizens: "I can only speak for myself and my family, we are not going anywhere, we love you. We support you, I support you. I am one with you. My heart is with you, and I'll continue to fight on behalf of Jews and on behalf of Israel."
