Israeli Minister Floats Nuclear Option for Gaza
Amichai Eliyahu says there are no "non-combatants" in Gaza
Amichai Eliyahu, Israel's Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister, said in an interview Sunday that a nuclear strike is an option for Gaza since there are no innocent civilians in the impoverished city.
While Eliyahu’s comments were quickly downplayed by Israel, considering Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline Knesset and comments from American politicians, his comments hold some water.
West Point’s Modern War Institute wrote that Israel, which has never publicly acknowledged having nuclear weapons, is also ambiguous on how/when it would deploy them.
Mark Levin, the Fox News host, hinted that Israel may consider going nuclear during an interview on the cable channel if it finds itself on the losing end of a multi-front war with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.
Levin imagined a scenario where Israel faced defeat: “What are they going to do?”
“I think I know what they’d do. I know what we [the U.S.] would do, we would destroy the enemy, because otherwise we’re exterminated. That’s all I have to say.”
Haaretz called the “Samson Option” the idea that Israel “can deter its enemies because of the threat that it would use alleged atomic weapons if it viewed itself as facing certain, imminent destruction – is unquestionably necessary for Israel’s security.”
Thus, Israel can destroy the world with it.
Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister who called Palestinians “human animals” before ordering a complete siege on Gaza after the 7 October attack, called Eliyahu's statements "baseless," according to Haaretz. He said it is "good that these aren't the people in charge of Israel's security."
The comment was not the first from an Israeli official to be criticized for its callousness.
Galit Distel-Atbaryan, a Knesset member and former information minister, called for “erasing all of Gaza from the face of the Earth” and making it so “the Gazan monsters will fly to the southern fence and try to enter Egyptian territory – or they will die….Gaza should be erased.” (WSWS)
Amir Weitmann, the head of the libertarian caucus in Israel's Likud Party, appeared on Russia’s RT last month and expressed his outrage at Russia’s stance on the war since fighting broke out.
“Russia is supporting the enemies of Israel. Russia is supporting Nazi people who want to commit genocide on us and Russia will pay the price,” Weitmann said, according to Newsweek. “We’re gonna win this war. Afterwards, we're not forgetting what you're doing, we're not forgetting, we will come, we will make sure Ukraine wins. We will make sure that you pay the price for what you have done, you as Russia.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on X: “Eliyahu’s statements are not based in reality.”
This shows what pathetic cowards the Israelis are. Hamas slaps them around a bit and they’re already screaming for nukes🤣