But it turns out that the Israeli quotes tossed around with such abandon by South Africa, supposedly approving of genocide, aren’t as damning as they seem. Some on the far right have made stupid statements, but Israel’s leadership—Netanyahu, Gallant, Herzog—have not. On balance, it seems to me that the media is all too ready to believe—and spread!—the worst interpretations of Israeli words and actions. They will regret this moment.” It was not Gallant who conflated Hamas and Gaza, but rather those who mischaracterized his words. In other words, Netanyahu is the one who created the context in which banal biblical references could be understood as far-right appeals.

Source: New York Times January 22, 2024 18:26 UTC