Comedian Bassem Youssef, filmmaker Amjad Al-Nour take Netanyahu to court in satirical song ‘Bibi’s Trial’

On October 7, Bassem Youssef and Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Al-Nour, who is also a journalist for Al Jazeera, released a satirical song titled ‘Bibi’s Trial,’ which takes a jab at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s crimes against humanity, and how they have been trivialised and defended by the USA.

That the song released on October 7 was no coincidence — it marked a year to Hamas’ attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent escalation and launching of a full-blown war on Gaza.

The song imagines a fictitious International Criminal Court trial where Netanyahu is being prosecuted. Youssef, known for his sharp political humour, plays the presiding judge, delivering a guilty verdict for Netanyahu in a dramatic fashion.

However, the trial quickly shifts as a US lawyer, portrayed by Al-Nour, hijacks the proceedings, convincing the jury and the audience to side with Netanyahu through slick manipulation.

A clever critique of global politics unfolds as the entire courtroom, including Youssef as the judge, become puppets to the American lawyer, donning US flags and dancing in submission to “Yankee supremacy” (read, US influence).

The lyrics are a scathing commentary on how the United States has repeatedly shielded Israel from accountability for its military actions in Gaza and the wider Palestinian territories.

Directed by filmmaker Bassel Nasser, and produced by Ali Shehata and Yousef Al-Shemari, ‘Bibi’s Trial’ has amassed hundreds of thousands of likes across social media platforms. The song hasn’t been made available on music streaming apps such as Spotify yet but the music video video is available on YouTube and is currently trending on the platform.

The backdrop to ‘Bibi’s Trial’ remains grim. Since last October 7, Israel has continued its relentless offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing at least 41,909 Palestinians, injuring 97,303, and destroying 87,000 homes. Hospitals have also borne the brunt, with 114 rendered inoperative. Almost the entire population of Gaza faces displacement, compounded by dire shortages of essential food and medical supplies due to the ongoing blockade.