'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek on Sept. 9, 2019. Palestinian rights activists and advocacy groups are calling on "Jeopardy!" to apologize after stating that the Church of the Nativity is in Israel and not the Palestinian territories.
The controversy erupted during Friday evening's episode, which included the category "Where's that Church?"Contestant Katie Needle quickly buzzed in, answering "What is Palestine?"Competitor Jack McGuire then buzzed in, answering: "What is Israel?"The exchange didn't slow the show's pace, but did hit a sore spot with viewers familiar with the Middle East's geography and political turmoil.
The church, built over the grotto where Christians believe Jesus was born, is in Bethlehem, a city in the Palestinian territories. Israel controls the territories through a network of military checkpoints and Jewish settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.James Zogby, founder of the Arab American Institute, expressed disdain on
, calling the exchange "an outrage & an insult to history, reality, the thousands of oppressed Palestinians of Bethlehem.", asking "Jeopardy!" to "immediately apologize for the politically dangerous inaccuracy that took place on your show."
Which it is. 👍
Well you know, some people still believe the fairy tale.
Shameful. They need to issue an apology on air.
It’s in the West Bank which is currently in Israel 🤷♂️. In 2020 that answer is offensive
Criticized for being correct?
Just where is it then?
Boo hoo snowflakes
Who cares I dont
Well Jerusalem is in Israel
Agree they should have avoided THAT question...
Technically, both answers are correct, but if they were looking for what country, than Israel is correct.
It is. I was there in October. It’s in Israel but administered jointly by Israel and the Palestine Authority.
Pro Sharia needs to bring this up if course.
Palestine
Palestinians have to remember they merely moved into a land that was provided to the peoples of the Israelite tribes as God's (Enlil's) chosen people based on genetic composition that enabled them to better be the progenitors of God's (Anu's) declaration of civilization in 4000BC
Too bad Suck it up butter cups
Jeopardy we thought same while watching. Having walked through what is basically a border crossing (wall from east Jerusalem to Bethlehem) it’s quite clear you are leaving Israel and entering the West Bank, when visiting the Church.
If Jeopardy does not address Alex Trebek’s mistake on basic geography, the show will lose credibility and viewers.