Ali G and Borat creator Sacha Baron Cohen has weighed into the Middle East conflict with a recent gag in which he confused “Hamas” and “hummus” and suggested a settlement of the problem through a “time share” on land between Arabs and Jews.

That’s right, the politically-incorrect prankster is back, this time in his latest incarnation as Bruno, a camp fashion presenter in a tight leather jacket and mohican hairstyle. And his latest victims? An Israeli analyst/former Mossad official and a Palestinian academic who thought they were being interviewed for a documentary aimed at explaining the conflict to young people.

Instead they are likely to end up in Baron Cohen’s new movie due out next year, joining the red-faced roll call of duped interviewees who failed to recognise the spoof character.

So, according to ”co-dupee” Yossi Alpher, the Islamist group Hamas is mentioned in conversation, and “Bruno” interjects, asking in a thick mock-German accent: ”Vait, vait. Vat’s zee connection between a political movement and food. Vy hummus?”

He also says: “Your conflict is not so bad. Jennifer-Angelina is worse,” referring to the ex-wife and current partner of Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. Other jokes by the comedian always out to shock include: ”Vy don’t you Jews and Arabs settle the conflict with a time share on the land?”, “Ven vill you Jews return the pyramids?” and ”Vy can’t Jews and Hindus get along?”

Nothing, it seems, is off limits to Baron Cohen, a Jew who Alpher accuses of exploitation.

“Yes, dear reader, Sacha Baron Cohen is loose in the Middle East,” he writes on the www.forward.com Web site. “The end product will undoubtedly be hilarious. We’ll try to be good sports about it. But will Sacha Baron Cohen? He is exploiting our tragic and painful conflict in the most cynical and deceptive manner. I doubt he’ll give us anything in return.”