In order to win the war with Hamas as quickly as possible, an ultranationalist Israeli minister also described dropping a nuclear bomb as “an option.” The outrage was great. But was the politician actually speaking on behalf of Israel? A fact check.
33 days have passed since the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on Israel. The attack on October 7th left more than 1,400 people dead and numerous hostages were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip. Israel initially responded with air strikes, and as part of the ground offensive that was launched later, Israeli soldiers have now advanced into the center of Gaza City, Defense Minister Joav Gallant announced on Wednesday.
Experts rule out that the war could end quickly. Due to the dense population and Hamas’ hundreds of kilometers of tunnel system, it is expected that urban warfare will last for a long time and result in losses for both sides, it is said. For the Israeli Minister of Cultural Heritage, Amichai Elijahu, this is apparently a prospect that Israel could avoid. In an interview, the right-wing extremist politician described the use of a nuclear bomb as “one of the options” – and thus triggered outraged reactions not only on social networks.
But was Elijahu also speaking on behalf of the government of Israel in the interview? A fact check.
No, Israel does not want to drop a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip
Claim: Israel is considering dropping a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip to end the war with Hamas as quickly as possible.
Evaluation: Incorrect. Heritage Minister Elijahu’s statement was immediately dismissed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His statements “do not correspond to reality,” said Netanyahu, who then suspended Elijahu.
The facts: The statement that the use of a nuclear bomb was an “option” in the war against Hamas was actually made in a statement last Sunday (November 5). Elijahu responded with his statement to the question of whether a nuclear bomb should be dropped on the Gaza Strip. During the interview, the minister, who belongs to the ultranationalist Otzma Jehudit party, also suggested that Israel should sacrifice the hostages kidnapped by Hamas. “In war we pay a price,” said Elijahu in response to a question about the fate of the hostages in the event of a nuclear bomb being dropped.
Explosive statements that quickly found their way onto social networks and were sharply criticized there – including by pro-Israel accounts. Representatives of the Israeli government also reacted immediately and distanced themselves.
Elijahu’s comments “do not correspond to reality,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel and the army acted “in accordance with the highest standards of international law to avoid harm to civilians,” said Netanyahu, who initially excluded Elijahu from all cabinet meetings. It was initially unclear whether the politician would lose his ministerial post.
Defense Minister Gallant also condemned Elijah’s “baseless and irresponsible statements.” “It’s a good thing these aren’t the people in charge of Israel’s security,” he wrote in an X-Post.
In fact, Elijahu’s party, Otzma Yehudit, is not part of Israel’s security or war cabinet. The influence on war decisions is therefore considered to be extremely small.
Elijahu does not speak on behalf of Israel
In the radio interview, Elijahu spoke for himself and the views of his right-wing extremist party, but not on behalf of his country. Although Israel has never officially confirmed that it has nuclear weapons, the International Peace Research Institute in Stockholm (Sipri) estimates that it has around 90 nuclear warheads. With a nuclear strike, the country is likely to risk all support from the West. In any case, the federal government clearly condemned Elijahu’s atomic bomb threat. Relevant statements were “unacceptable,” said a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office on Tuesday.
But it’s not just the risk of international ostracism that makes dropping a nuclear bomb extremely absurd. Gaza City and Tel Aviv are less than a hundred kilometers apart. The incalculable risk of harming its own population through the use of a weapon of mass destruction is likely to deter Jerusalem from taking this drastic step.
And Elijahu? The minister backtracked after the harsh criticism. His statement about the atomic bomb was meant “metaphorically”. The disinformation that Israel was considering a nuclear strike was already out in the world for a long time – and it continues to be spread.
Sources: Interview with radio station Kol Barama / / Telegram / Twitter / with agency material from DPA and AFP.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
