The organization has long supported those same rights for members of terrorist groups and anti-Semites
PEN America, a self-described “free expression” advocacy group, withdrew its defense of the free speech rights of an Israeli comedian, Guy Hochman, whose New York City show was canceled after protesters blocked the entrance to the performance venue.
“On January 29, 2026, PEN America issued a statement on the abrupt cancellation of performances in New York and Los Angeles by an Israeli comedian, who has been accused by advocacy organizations of incitement to genocide in Gaza,” the free speech group wrote in a Tuesday statement. “On further consideration, PEN America has decided to withdraw this statement. We remain committed to open and respectful dialogue about the divisions that arise in the course of defending free expression.”
The organization initially issued a statement on Jan. 29 supporting Hochman, who served in the Israel Defense Forces and whose performances were canceled after anti-Israel agitation. A mob in New York City blocked the entrance and a Los Angeles venue demanded that he issue a statement accusing Israel of “genocide, rape, starvation, and torture of Palestinian civilians.”
PEN America claims to advocate for “human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide,” and initially called the mob action “a profound violation of free expression to demand artists, writers or comedians agree to ideological litmus tests as a condition to appear on a stage.”
The group did not respond to a request for comment on why it backtracked.
PEN America’s board includes prominent writers, reporters, and literary figures, including the Atlantic’s George Packer, novelist Jodi Picoult, Harvard Law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen, Brooklyn Public Library CEO Linda E. Johnson, and Hachette Book Group CEO David Shelley. None of these board members responded to requests for comment.
The organization’s decision to withdraw its support for Hochman’s right to perform free from mob interference comes after a long period of time in which it has backed up anti-Israel figures, including members of designated terrorist groups, as the watchdog group HonestReporting has shown. Its “Writers at Risk” list includes Khalida Jarrar, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group; PFLP member Rasem Obaidat; and Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian activist who wrote in a public message to Israelis: “We’ll slaughter you, and you’ll say that what Hitler did to you was a joke. We’ll drink your blood and eat your skulls.”
PEN America has not, to this point, issued any withdrawals of its support for those individuals.
In 2024, anti-Israel activists launched a pressure campaign to oust longtime PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel, a former Hillary Clinton official, over her support for Israel. After Nossel resigned, the activists declared victory and said her exit fulfilled “one of the foremost demands of our campaign.” That campaign also includes a boycott of PEN America’s activities until the organization accedes to a list of demands, including describing the Israel-Hamas war as a “genocide,” offering material support to efforts to free Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons, and joining a cultural boycott against the Jewish state.
PEN America has received over $4 million from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations since 2022, according to grant records.
Hochman, one of the most popular comedians and social media stars in Israel, often performs for soldiers to boost troop morale. His comedy tour of the United States and Canada, though, has faced protests, threats, and pressure campaigns from anti-Israel activists. His scheduled appearance at the Broadway Comedy Club in New York City was canceled after anti-Israel protesters physically blocked attendees from entering the building, while the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills demanded that he sign the statement denouncing Israel.
The latter venue apologized for canceling Hochman’s appearance days later, but the comedian dismissed the apology, stating that it was made under political pressure.
“I’m not a politician,” he said. “I’m a comedian—a very Zionist comedian.”
While the New York and Los Angeles incidents appear to have remained peaceful, the campaign against Hochman turned violent in Canada. He was detained at Toronto Pearson International Airport after the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgian anti-Israel nonprofit with alleged ties to Hezbollah, filed a human rights complaint accusing him of “acting as a war propagandist and inciter, promoting violence and glorifying Israel’s assault on Gaza.” Hochman was eventually released when the Israeli consulate intervened and was able to perform at a Jewish community event, but anti-Israel activists attacked him and ultimately injured his manager, according to reports.
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