John Cusack 'Declares War' on Noah Schnapp

Social media users claimed John Cusack is "declaring war" on fellow actor Noah Schnapp, after the Stranger Things star posed with stickers emblazoned with the words "Zionism is Sexy."

In footage recently unveiled on social media, Schnapp, 19, was seen laughing with friends in a café, as they posed with and showed off the stickers, including one that read "Hamas is Isis." Schnapp was seen in the video filming the people with the stickers and also holding up one that read "Zionism is Sexy."

Zionism refers to the Jewish nationalist movement formed in 1897 that puched to create a state for Jewish people in Palestine. This eventually led to the formation of Israel in 1948, following the Holocaust, which saw more than 6 million Jewish people die. However, some critics of Zionism have argued the creation of Israel forced Palestinians off their land in what is called the Nakba.

People rushed to X, formerly Twitter to condemn Schnapp, as they pointed to the backlash other celebrities have faced for speaking out in favor of Palestinians.

The topic has sparked contentious debate in recent weeks, after Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants stormed southern Israel in a surprise attack on October 7, leading to the deaths of more than 1,200 people, and more than 200 people being taken to the Gaza Strip as hostages, according to Reuters.

Israel subsequently declared war and launched air and ground attacks on Gaza. Its forces have so far killed more than 11,000 people there, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, cited by the Associated Press, which also reported that many more people have been injured and huge numbers have been displaced.

Amid criticism of the Schnapp "Zionism is Sexy" video, one X user wrote: "'Zionism is sexy,' so killing innocent Palestinian children women and men is sexy to you? Bombing hospitals schools bakeries ambulances is sexy to you? Cutting off their water and food is sexy to you? Zionists are just genocidal maniacs the most evil to ever walk on this earth."

In a response that has been viewed more than 1.3 million times, Fifth Harmony singer Lauren Jauregui said that there is "an enjoyment of bloodshed."

"It's because they're necrophiliacs," she wrote. "That is the only logical conclusion I can come to from all of this. Who the f*** even evokes the word 'sexy' in the midst of genocide or has the capacity to rape people when they're in the most terrified and disempowered state possible...necrophiliacs.

"There is an enjoyment of bloodshed, an enjoyment of death..a celebration of it. I've heard so many soldiers and Zionists threaten rape or wish it upon those or us who have enough humanity to show up for the Palestinian people in solidarity. It's a power tactic (women know this). It is a tool of genocide. It is a tool of colonization, they do it ALWAYS."

Jauregui's viral comment caught the eye of High Fidelity star Cusack, 57, who reposted it on his timeline. His action drew the attention of other X users, who saw it as a declaration of "war" against beleaguered actor Schnapp.

"Not John Cusack declaring war on Noah Schnapp," wrote one, alongside a screenshot showing that Cusack had shared Jauregui's post.

Newsweek has contacted representatives of Cusack and Schnapp via email for comment.

The post remained on Cusack's timeline at the time of publication. In the weeks since the conflict broke out in the region, Cusack has openly supported a cease-fire.

Cusack wrote on Monday: "The ultimate hope in the midst of this unspeakable, paralyzing horror—so uncharacteristically out in the open, so unmasked, is that million of Jews, Christian, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists stand together and refuse the bait; which is to seek a biblical justification for it's crimes against humanity.

"The world revolts. Millions refuse to accept the immoral choice offered to them by political leaders who would make the price of safety of one people, the extinction of another."

Meanwhile, Schnapp previously shared a statement about his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, as he declared he wanted "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," he wrote on Instagram in October.

Back in 2019, Cusack issued an apology after he drew criticism for reposting an antisemitic meme. The image in question depicted a hand featuring the Star of David as it pushed down on a group of people.

"To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize," read a quote included in the image, which Cusack captioned: "Follow the money."

The quote in the image has often been erroneously attributed to French philosopher Voltaire, but it was actually spoken by white nationalist Kevin Strom.

"A bot got me," he later said on X, then known as Twitter. "I thought I was endorsing a pro Palestinian justice retweet of an earlier post. It came I think from a different source. Shouldn't have retweeted."

In a full apology later, the actor stated: "I would like to express my sincere apologies for the insensitive and offensive graphic that I regrettably retweeted.

"Social media has always been a platform on which I have engaged to express my thoughts and opinions, however, the material that I shared does not now, nor has it ever, represented my views in any shape or form. I have always believed that all people should live in equality, freedom and peace and I am deeply saddened that an account with which I am associated could perpetuate anything less."

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