Netanyahu Strongly Rejects Obama's Claims on Israel's Origins and Moral Standing

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly responded on Friday to remarks by former US President Barack Obama, who claimed that the establishment of Israel involved taking land from Palestinians and that its policies harmed its moral standing. In an English-language video without mentioning Obama by name, Netanyahu rejected the portrayal of Israel as a colonial enterprise and stressed that the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers.

Obama stated earlier this week during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, that Jews were persecuted for millennia and sought refuge in a place of historical connection, but added that it is undeniable that they took people's land and those people were displaced. He also warned that relying solely on military power is a long-term disaster for Israel, while condemning the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Historical Ties and Rejection of Colonial Labels

Netanyahu opened his response by addressing the core claims made by the former president, emphasizing the deep historical ties of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.

The Jewish people are not foreign occupiers in our ancestral land. Our history is not a colonial enterprise. Our country is not stolen land. This is our homeland. It is called Judea.

He further sharpened his message by drawing a distinction with European colonial powers, stating that Israelis are not like Europeans in overseas colonies, but rather Jews in Judea.

The Real Obstacle to Peace

Netanyahu also rejected the notion that Israel is the party preventing progress toward peace, placing the blame squarely on its adversaries.

• The obstacle to peace is not Israel's fight for survival.

• The true barrier is the refusal of enemies to recognize a Jewish state.

• Both Israel and the US face shared adversaries who chant slogans against both nations.

He concluded with a stern warning against arrangements built on illusions, stressing that Israel will not gamble with its survival to appease those who reject historical facts or seek to placate terrorism.