‘Free Expression’ Group Retracts Statement in Support of Cancelled Israeli Comedian

A “free expression” group that claims to fight for “the power of the word” recently showed its true colors after a mob forced the cancellation of shows by an Israeli comedian.

“PEN American stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide,” according to its website. The group proclaims its support for “freedom of expression” on college campuses.

Yet this firm commitment to free speech does not extend to Guy Hochman, an Israeli comedian. Pro-Palestinian groups have targeted Hochman because of his support for Israel, which includes performing comedy shows for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The groups accuse him of supporting what they say is unjustified military action in Gaza.

“A mob in New York City blocked the entrance and a Los Angeles venue demanded that he issue a statement accusing Israel of ‘genocide, rape, starvation, and torture of Palestinian civilians,'” the Washington Free Beacon reported. The Los Angeles theatre later apologized for cancelling Hochman’s show.

Mobs forcing the cancellation of events is a classic example of the heckler’s veto, particularly when people block an entrance so no one can see a show.

PEN America initially agreed with this sentiment, calling the New York blockade “a profound violation of free expression to demand artists, writers, or comedians agree to ideological litmus tests as a condition to appear on a stage,” according to the Free Beacon.

On January 29, 2026, PEN America issued a statement on the abrupt cancellation of performances in New York and Los Angeles by an Israeli comedian, who has been accused by advocacy organizations of incitement to genocide in Gaza. On further consideration, PEN America has decided to withdraw this statement. We remain committed to open and respectful dialogue about the divisions that arise in the course of defending free expression.

While it is not clear why PEN America rescinded the statement, the Free Beacon pointed out a double standard by the group:

Its “Writers at Risk” list includes Khalida Jarrar, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group; PFLP member Rasem Obaidat; and Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian activist who wrote in a public message to Israelis: “We’ll slaughter you, and you’ll say that what Hitler did to you was a joke. We’ll drink your blood and eat your skulls.”

“In 2024, anti-Israel activists launched a pressure campaign to oust longtime PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, a former Hillary Clinton official, over her support for Israel,” the Free Beacon noted.

Some people might find Hochman’s comments about Gaza distasteful or even offensive. But PEN America has previously stood up for what many would view as offensive, if not inciteful, speech.

In 2023, it defended a Wayne State University professor who said: “I think it is far more admirable to kill a racist, homophobic, or transphobic speaker than it is to shout them down.”

PEN America defended the comments as “satire” and “humor.”

The group also regularly warns about (so-called) “banned books,” which are often sexually explicit books that schools or libraries make unavailable to young kids without their parents’ permission.

The “free expression” group’s position on Hochman and “banned books” could not be farther apart.

Adults in New York and Los Angeles should not be free to pay money to go see an Israeli comedian tell jokes in a private venue, PEN America seems to argue. But little kids must be allowed to look at pornographic books in a school library without their parents’ knowledge, or that is an assault on free speech.

Now, at least, people know how deep PEN America’s commitment to “free expression” really is.