Ministers link war in Gaza with rise in antisemitism

29/5/2025 6:09

Israeli Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu's government hit back at growing

international pressure over the war in Gaza on Wednesday, amid

deepening signs of division over the war at home, 600 days after

the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.



On Wednesday, Italy joined a growing list of European

countries that have traditionally held back from criticizing

Israel in demanding an end to the war, after Germany stepped up

its language against the Israeli campaign earlier in the week.



Netanyahu said last week that similar criticisms from

France, Britain and Canada were "emboldening" Hamas and said the

leaders of the three countries were "on the wrong side of

history".



Speaking at a conference on antisemitism in Jerusalem,

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel was living through a

time "when the ancient desire to eliminate the Jewish people has

become stronger".



"The new antisemitism targets the state of Israel," he said.

"It uses demonization, delegitimization and double standards."



He said organizations like the International Criminal Court,

which has issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu over alleged

war crimes in Gaza, as well as calls to impose an arms embargo

on Israel, undermined the country's ability to defend itself.



"Removing Israel's right and ability to defend itself can

only mean one thing. A second Holocaust," he said.



European countries have generally said explicitly that

Israel has the right to defend itself. But there has been

increasing shock at the scale of the destruction in Gaza, the

deadliest episode in decades of conflict between Israel and the

Palestinians.



The Hamas-led attack killed some 1,200 people and saw 251

taken hostage into Gaza on the deadliest day for Israel since

its foundation in 1948. Its campaign in response has killed

around 54,000 Palestinians, more than in any other of the

countless rounds of war between the two sides.



Netanyahu has drawn direct links between criticism coming

from Europe and a surge in incidents of antisemitism which he

said was part of a war of "civilization against barbarism"

unleashed by the war in Gaza.







'COMPLETE VICTORY'



As Israelis marked the 600th day of the war, the chorus of

international voices has echoed sharpening divisions within

Israel itself, as the early unity forged by the trauma of

October 7 has weakened and efforts to reach a ceasefire have

faltered.



Facing a debate in parliament, Netanyahu accused the

opposition of hypocrisy after it said his government had

completely failed to achieve its war goals. He said he would

continue until complete victory over Hamas.



He has dismissed charges that Israel was deliberately

causing starvation in Gaza, where it imposed an 11-week blockade

that was only relaxed last week after mounting pressure from

close allies.



However even the United States, Israel's most important

ally, has appeared to be shifting, with President Donald Trump

pressing for an end to the war and saying Palestinians in the

enclave were starving and should be helped.



Opinion polls have consistently shown a majority favouring

an agreement to bring back the 58 hostages still held in Gaza.

Families and supporters of the hostages have staged regular

protests demanding a deal.



"The return of the hostages is Israel's security. Most of

the public knows this and is asking you for a decision," said

Ofri Bibas, sister of released hostage Yarden Bibas, at a rally

in Tel Aviv for the 600 days landmark.



"You are failing in your refusal to do the one thing that

will bring them all back -- declare an end to the war."



However, Netanyahu has continued to enjoy the support of

hardliners in his government who have spoken in favour of

reoccupying Gaza and driving out the Palestinian population.



A poll reported in the left-wing Haaretz newspaper this week

found 82% of those surveyed supporting expelling Palestinians

from Gaza, with 56% favouring expelling Palestinian citizens of

Israel.



The same survey, based on a sample of 1,005 Jewish Israelis,

found nearly 47% believed that all residents of a conquered

enemy city should be killed in a manner similar to what the

Bible says the ancient Israelites did when they conquered

Jericho under the leadership of their leader Joshua.