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What has Fran Drescher said about Israel and Hamas in 2023?
Executive summary
Fran Drescher publicly led SAG‑AFTRA during 2023 and in October that year the union she heads issued statements condemning the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and expressing support for Israel; those actions prompted criticism from some pro‑Palestine entertainers and a Change.org petition calling for her resignation over perceived pro‑Israel bias [1] [2] [3]. Reporting from July 2023 profiles Drescher as a brash, proudly Jewish union president whose past comments and stances have already drawn scrutiny from different communities [4] [5] [6].
1. SAG‑AFTRA’s official stance after Oct. 7, 2023 — union statement and context
When Hamas carried out the October 7 attacks, SAG‑AFTRA under Fran Drescher’s leadership joined several major Hollywood unions in issuing statements that condemned the killings and kidnappings by Hamas and voiced support for Israel; Deadline’s coverage states that SAG‑AFTRA’s message condemned terrorism and echoed other guilds’ statements that decried the attacks and warned about rising antisemitism [1]. That piece also situates SAG‑AFTRA’s statement in the context of other unions (e.g., DGA) and notes the WGA had not issued a similar statement at that time [1].
2. Internal and industry backlash — criticism from members and peers
Drescher’s and SAG‑AFTRA’s stance drew internal pushback from actors and industry professionals who felt the union was silent on Israeli actions in Gaza or insufficiently protective of pro‑Palestinian expression; Middle East Eye cites an open letter from hundreds of Hollywood actors asking SAG‑AFTRA leadership to condemn Israel’s bombardment and objecting to perceived “McCarthyist repression” of pro‑Palestine voices, explicitly noting that some members said they were “losing faith in President [Fran] Drescher’s ability to lead” [2]. This illustrates a split between members who prioritized condemnation of Hamas’s 7‑October attacks and members who wanted stronger criticism of Israel’s subsequent conduct.
3. Public campaigns and calls for resignation
Public organizing followed those disagreements: a December 2023 Change.org petition demanded Drescher’s resignation as SAG‑AFTRA president for what its authors called her longstanding support for Israel and alleged ties to Israeli military entities — the petition frames the problem as “pro‑Zionist leadership in Hollywood” and accuses Drescher of bias dating back years [3]. The petition is an expression of dissent but does not represent a settled, industry‑wide consensus [3].
4. How journalists portrayed Drescher in 2023 — personality, politics, and profile pieces
Profiles published in mid‑2023 presented Drescher as a conspicuous, outspoken union leader and as a public figure with a record of political stances that elicit both admiration and criticism; The Times of Israel and Haaretz ran pieces that emphasize her brash, Jewish public persona and her role at the head of the union during strikes [4] [5]. The Forward’s July profile also notes that Drescher had previously attracted criticism for other political positions, including for supporting Israel and opposing vaccine mandates, signaling that the 2023 controversies fit into a larger pattern of polarizing public remarks [6].
5. Diverging perspectives and implicit agendas in coverage
Coverage shows two competing frames: one set of outlets and union statements foreground a clear condemnation of Hamas’s terrorism and a concern about antisemitism [1], while another set of actors and signatories demand that union leadership also condemn Israel’s military response and protect pro‑Palestine speech [2]. Critics organizing petitions or letters may have political aims — pressuring union leadership, influencing public opinion, or advancing pro‑Palestinian advocacy — while pro‑Drescher/union statements emphasize worker solidarity and immediate condemnation of terrorism and antisemitism [1] [3] [2].
6. What available sources do not say
Available sources do not mention many specific private comments Drescher may have made in 2023 beyond the union’s public statement and the profiles summarizing her positions; they also do not provide a comprehensive transcript of any extended interviews in 2023 where she lays out a detailed personal policy platform on Israel/Palestine beyond union-level statements and prior public stances [1] [4] [5] [6].
7. Bottom line for readers
In 2023 Fran Drescher, as SAG‑AFTRA president, led a union response that condemned the October 7 Hamas attacks and sided with other Hollywood guilds in expressing concern about antisemitism; that posture triggered organized criticism from colleagues and activists who say the union should also challenge Israel’s military actions and protect pro‑Palestinian expression, culminating in petitions and open letters [1] [2] [3]. Readers should weigh primary union statements and mainstream profiles [1] [4] [5] against activist materials [2] [3] to understand both the factual record and the political aims behind criticism or support.