A statement made by Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, a member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party in Israel, sparked controversy which further led to his dismissal. In a radio interview on Sunday, Eliyahu suggested that “dropping an atomic bomb on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip was ‘an option” in response to questions about the situation in Gaza, news agency PTI reported. He also claimed that “there are no non-combatants in Gaza” and that providing humanitarian aid would constitute “a failure.”
Eliyahu’s remarks were met with outrage from members of both the ruling coalition and the Opposition in Israel, with calls for his removal from the government. However, in a subsequent statement, he attempted to backtrack from his original comments, characterising them as “metaphorical”, PTI reported
He stated, “It’s clear to anyone with a brain that the remark about the atom was metaphorical. We indeed must display a forceful and disproportional response to terror, which will clarify to the Nazis and their supporters that terrorism isn’t worthwhile. This is the only formula with which democracies can deal with terror.” He also emphasised the importance of returning captives alive and in good health.
In response to the controversy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended Eliyahu from government meetings indefinitely, as announced by the Prime Minister’s Office. It’s worth noting that Eliyahu is not a part of the security cabinet responsible for wartime decision-making, nor does he hold authority over the war cabinet directing the conflict against Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu described Eliyahu’s remark as “detached from reality” and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to preventing harm to uninvolved individuals, complying with international law, PTI’s report mentioned.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant dismissed Eliyahu’s statements as “baseless,” and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid characterised them as “a horrifying and insane remark by an irresponsible minister.” Lapid called for Eliyahu’s removal from the government, expressing concern that such comments could jeopardise Israel’s international standing during ongoing conflict in the region.
The remarks came as Israel is facing increasing international pressure as the death toll rises in Gaza, and statements like Eliyahu’s may negatively impact efforts to garner international support for Israel’s “right to self-defence.”
Israel has been engaging in a diplomatic campaign to seek global support, particularly in light of the recent conflict with Hamas. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has directed Israeli missions worldwide to share the disturbing scenes from Hamas’ actions in Gaza with lawmakers and social influencers.
Notably, Saudi Arabia, with which Israel is reportedly in talks to normalise ties under US mediation, condemned Eliyahu’s remarks as “extremist” and criticised the Israeli government for not taking more immediate action against him. Saudi Arabia expressed concern about the level of extremism and brutality in the Israeli government, the report stated.