Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video responding to former US President Barack Obama's comments in Belfast regarding Palestinian land.
Key facts
- •Barack Obama made comments accusing Israel of taking land and being excessive during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday.
- •Benjamin Netanyahu responded in a video posted to X/Twitter on Friday.
- •Netanyahu stated that Jewish history is not a colonial enterprise and that Judea is the homeland of the Jewish people.
- •Netanyahu cited regional enemies' refusal to recognize a Jewish state and common chants of "Death to Israel" and "Death to America" as obstacles to peace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Friday to remarks made by former US president Barack Obama, who accused Israel of taking land and being excessive in its treatment of Palestinians. Obama made the comments during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. Netanyahu rejected the accusations in a video posted to X/Twitter, stating that the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers and that the land is not stolen.
Netanyahu Defends Connection to the Land
In his video response, Netanyahu called Obama's statements regrettable and emphasized the historical and biblical connection of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, using the name Judea. He stated that Jews have been attached to the region for thousands of years and rejected comparisons to European colonial powers, distinguishing Israelis from historical colonial groups by saying, "We're Jews in Judea."
Obstacles to Peace and Shared Enemies
Netanyahu asserted that Israel is not the obstacle to peace in the region. Instead, he pointed to regional enemies shared by Israel and the United States, citing their refusal to recognize the Jewish people's right to a state in any boundary. He referenced chants such as "Death to Israel" and "Death to America" in states like Iran, noting how those nations refer to Israel and the US as the "Little Satan" and "Great Satan."
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Jerusalem Post.
