Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday strongly rebutted former US President Barack Obama’s recent criticisms, which accused Israel of unfairly seizing Palestinian land and acting excessively in its treatment of Palestinians throughout its history. Obama made these remarks during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, earlier in the week.
In a video statement posted to X/Twitter, Netanyahu firmly rejected the characterization of Israel’s presence as colonial or illegitimate. “The Jewish people are not foreign occupiers in the land of our forefathers,” Netanyahu asserted. “Our history is not a colonial enterprise. Our land is not stolen land. This is our homeland.”
Netanyahu described Obama’s Belfast comments as a “regrettable statement,” emphasizing the deep, millennia-long connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, which he noted by its biblical name, Judea. “That’s where Jews come from,” he said. “And we’ve been attached to it for thousands of years.”
The prime minister drew a sharp distinction between Israel and European colonial powers, stating that the Jewish presence in Judea is not comparable to historical colonial ventures, such as the Dutch in Indonesia or the Belgians in the Congo. “We are Jews in Judea,” he emphasized.
Obstacle to peace lies with Israel’s, America’s enemies, Netanyahu says
Regarding the prospects for peace, Netanyahu argued that the primary obstacles to peace lie not with Israel, but with regional enemies shared by both Israel and the United States. He pointed to these actors’ refusal to recognize the Jewish people’s right to a sovereign state in any borders, citing frequent chants of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” in states like Iran.
Netanyahu referenced the common regional designations of the US as the “Great Satan” and Israel as the “Little Satan,” arguing that both nations are defending a common civilization against hostile forces. “A peace built on illusions will crash against the rocks of Middle Eastern reality,” he warned. He added that Israel will not compromise its survival or accept terms that appease terror or deny the historical facts and the right to exist. “We certainly do not; we never will,” he concluded.
Obama: Palestinians ‘understandably’ want their ‘land back’
On Tuesday, during a conversation with journalist Susan McKay, Obama had addressed the Palestinian perspective, explaining that Palestinians “understandably” feel that their land has been taken and view the situation as an injustice. “The fact is that the Jewish people, for millennia, were oppressed, discriminated against, killed,” Obama stated, noting that Europe was largely responsible for this persecution, which led the Jewish people to seek a safe refuge.
Obama cautioned that if Israel’s approach relies solely on its military and technological superiority to take what it wants without concessions, it may achieve short-term security but will ultimately lose its moral standing. According to The Irish Times, Obama also stressed that the populations of Jews and Palestinians in the region are permanent and “aren’t going anywhere.”
He urged Israeli citizens to reconsider and reimagine how future generations will live in the region, asking whether they wish to remain isolated behind walls or find a just, ethical way to defend themselves. Obama also noted that Palestinians must recognize they cannot militarily defeat or out-weaponize Israel, and suggested looking to nonviolent strategies for achieving change, though he acknowledged this process would take time.
