Netanyahu again invokes Bible to defend Israeli war on Gaza

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday invoked the Bible again to justify the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

"The Bible says that 'there is a time for peace and a time for war.' This is a time for war," Netanyahu told a press conference.

The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a cross-border attack by Hamas group on Oct. 7.

Over 9,800 people have been killed in the conflict, including 8,306 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.​​​​​​

Netanyahu said his government will not agree to a cease-fire in Gaza, saying such a deal would mean a surrender to Hamas. He argued that the United States did not agree to a cease-fire following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II or after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

“[Victory] begins with knowing the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong…It means making a moral distinction between the deliberate murder of the innocent and the unintentional casualties that accompany every legitimate war,” he said.

This was not the first time for Netanyahu to cite biblical references to justify the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza.

On Saturday, he invoked the theory of Amalekites, a tribe mentioned in the Torah, to justify his actions in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

He also used quotes from Old Testament to defend the Israeli war in Gaza.

“With shared forces, with deep faith in the justice of our cause and in the eternity of Israel, we will realize the prophecy of Isaiah 60:18 – 'Violence shall no more be heard in your land, desolation nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise',” he said.