Fox News host Jesse Watters asked to apologize by White House for 'sickening attack' on Arab Americans and Muslims
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A White House representative has come forward to demand an apology from notorious Fox News host Jesse Watters for his recent comments attacking Arab Americans and Muslims.
Watters, while on his popular evening show 'The Five', targeted the two communities for siding with Palestinians and Hamas as the war continues in the region with Israel.
The White House Press Secretary called out the network and the anchor on his remarks, regarding them as "sickening" and "hateful."
Watters was missing from the show a day after his furious outburst on air.
A day after he said he's "had it" with Arab-Americans, Jesse Watters is not on The Five.
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) November 2, 2023
Dana Perino: "All right, Brian, good of you to be here when Jesse has some time off. He’s at an event out in California, I understand." pic.twitter.com/K3rMkXNhW2
Jesse Watters calls the Middle East a 'stupid desert'
Watters went on a furious rant during his November 1 appearance on 'The Five' when he was asked for his views on the response of Americans to the Israel-Palestine war.
"I want to say something about Arab Americans and the Muslim world -- I'm not going to hold your hand, even though I should," the host had said.
"We, and when I say we I mean the West and Western technology, have created the Middle East. We made them rich. We got that oil out of the ground, our military protects all of these oil shipments flying around the world, making them rich. We fund their military. We respect their kings. We kill their terrorists. Okay? But we've had it. We've had it with them."
Later, while addressing the case of 'Kidnapped' posters of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas being taken down all over the country by protestors, Watters then said, "And so, if you're an Arab American in this country, and you rip down posters of Jewish hostages, American hostages -- no. No, no, no. Someone is going to get punched in the face."
White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates says Fox News 'owes an apology'
In a statement from White House Deputy Press Secretary, according to Mediaite, Andrew Bates noted that the host's comments were hateful.
“These hateful lies about ‘Arab Americans and…the Muslim world’ highlight the urgency of President Biden’s work to ensure hate has no safe harbor in America, and why he committed to the first national anti-Islamophobia strategy in our history,” said Bates
The secretary also demanded an apology to be issued by the network for the comments spewed by Watters.
“These unacceptable remarks come just weeks after the heartbreaking killing of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American child, and during a spike in threats against Muslim and Arab Americans. Fox News owes an apology to every single viewer for this sickening attack on the rights and dignity of their fellow Americans. President Biden will always stand up against Islamophobia, antisemitism, and all forms of hate. Fox News should learn from his example,” Bates wrote.