Haaretz: Netanyahu abandoned 'Israel'
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Israeli newspaper Haaretz called out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what they described as a 'weak response' to the Israeli Minister of 'Heritage''s 'nuclear bomb' comments, also calling on 'extremist' party members to step down.
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Israeli Minister of "Heritage", Amichai Eliyahu. (Screengrab/X)
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz called for the removal of "religious Zionist" ministers from the government, in response to the Minister of "Heritage", Amichai Eliyahu's words, who suggested using a nuclear bomb against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.
The newspaper criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response, "where he merely commented that Eliyahu's remarks were detached from reality," as weak. They pointed out that Netanyahu "prioritized the preservation of his government over the preservation of Israel."
The newspaper emphasized that the issue extends beyond Eliyahu's statement, stating that "the problem runs deeper than that." It went on to explain that "the root of the issue lies in the fact that legitimacy and governance in Israel today are controlled by an extreme right-wing party, which is a cause for concern."
Members of the government were mentioned: Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Simcha Rothman, Orit Strook, Avi Maoz, Zvi Sukkot, Limor Son Har-Melech, and their associates.
The newspaper added that the presence of Netanyahu, who legitimizes the extreme right and Kahanism, is also a problem, noting that under his rule, “Israel” has become more extreme.
Earlier, Eliyahu said nuking the Gaza Strip is on the table in light of the ongoing aggression on the Palestinian people.
The extremist Otzma Yehudit minister was asked in an interview with Radio Kol Berama whether an atomic bomb should be dropped on Gaza, to which he replied by saying it was "one of the possibilities".
Eliyahu also underlined that he was staunchly opposed to any humanitarian aid making its way to Gaza, a statement which he backed by saying, "We wouldn't hand the Nazis humanitarian aid."
"There is no such thing as uninvolved civilians in Gaza."
In response, Israeli Channel 12, citing political sources, reported on Sunday that "statements issued by Eliyahu have caused tremendous damage to "Israel's" reputation globally, especially among partner countries" that are trying to aid the regime.
It was deemed that the minister's statements "undermined Israeli efforts to gain more time and international legitimacy in order to prolong the military operation in Gaza."
Similarly, political sources cited by Channel 12 say that "Eliyahu's statements constitute a hostile move against Israeli propaganda, which is trying to differentiate between 'good' Israel and 'bad' Hamas," as mentioned in reports.
"But the minister came and his statements destroyed everything, and contradicted international law," they add. They also say that "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not conduct the war separately from domestic political considerations."
