5-11-2023 (JERUSALEM) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took action on Sunday, November 5, against a junior member of his cabinet who had expressed a willingness to consider a nuclear strike on Gaza, amidst the ongoing conflict with Hamas, which has been causing a growing number of Palestinian civilian casualties.
The individual in question, Heritage Minister Amihay Eliyahu, a member of a far-right party in the coalition government, has been suspended from cabinet meetings “until further notice,” according to a statement issued by Netanyahu’s office.
During a radio interview, when asked about the hypothetical use of nuclear weapons, Eliyahu responded, “That’s one way.” His remark garnered attention in Arab media, shocked mainstream Israeli broadcasters, and was deemed “objectionable” by a US official.
It’s important to note that neither Eliyahu nor his party leader are part of the streamlined ministerial forum responsible for managing the Gaza conflict, and they lack access to inside information regarding Israel’s nuclear capabilities, which the country does not publicly acknowledge, or the authority to activate such capabilities.
In response to the situation, Netanyahu’s office stated, “Eliyahu’s statements are not based in reality. Israel and the IDF (military) are operating in accordance with the highest standards of international law to avoid harming innocents. We will continue to do so until our victory.”
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has raised significant international concerns about Israel’s tactics, with approximately 9,500 Palestinians having lost their lives.
In light of the crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made another diplomatic visit to the Middle East over the weekend.
A senior US State Department official commented, “Obviously that was an objectionable statement, and the prime minister made it very clear that he (Eliyahu) wasn’t speaking on behalf of the government.”
Eliyahu later stated in a social media post, “It is clear to anyone who is sensible that the nuclear remark was metaphorical.” However, he also added, “A strong and disproportionate response to terrorism is definitely required, which will clarify to the Nazis and their supporters that terrorism is not worthwhile.”
A spokesperson for Hamas, a militant group that advocates Israel’s destruction, characterized Eliyahu as representing “unprecedented criminal Israeli terrorism (that) constitutes a danger to the entire region and the world.”
During his radio interview on Kol Barama, it was noted that causing further destruction in Gaza would endanger approximately 240 hostages, including foreigners and Israelis, who have been held since Hamas initiated the conflict with a cross-border assault on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people.
Eliyahu responded, “In war, you pay a price,” while also expressing his hopes for the safe return of the hostages.
Benny Gantz, a centrist former general who joined Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government from the opposition as part of the streamlined war cabinet, expressed his view that Eliyahu’s remarks had been harmful and had added to the anguish of the families of the hostages.
