Israel has ‘no choice’ on Rafah invasion as long as Hamas is holding hostages, says former PM Bennett

Former Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett addressed the continuing battle between Israel and Hamas and considerations over U.S. involvement and rising antisemitism on “Sunday Night in America.”

Bennett assured Fox News host Trey Gowdy that Israel would proceed to push the offensive so long as Hamas holds hostages.

“Hamas is, I would say, dedicated to destroying and annihilating Israel. They say it explicitly. They say they’re going to continue trying to kill Jews as long as they exist and they are on our border, so we really have no choice,” Bennett mentioned.

Bennett additionally addressed latest statements by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling for regime change in Israel. He highlighted the significance of Israel’s democratic processes, contrasting it with non-democratic regimes like Iran and others all through the Middle East.

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Anti-Israel protesters rally exterior of New York University’s campus in New York on Friday, May 3, 2024. Campus protests proceed to stretch into their third week as tensions rise throughout the United States. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

“Israel is a vibrant democracy, and domestically, within Israel we voice our opposition, voice our support. Everyone voices whatever they want. And it’s the Israeli public’s business to choose their leaders. Israel is a democracy,” Bennett mentioned. “The other places you mentioned, such as Iran or other locations are not necessarily democracies, and it makes sense to change a regime there.”

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Concerns about U.S. involvement within the Israel-Palestine battle have been additionally raised, significantly reviews of the Biden administration conditioning ammunition assist for Israeli actions in Gaza.

Last week, the Biden administration put a hold on a shipment of U.S.-manufactured ammunition to Israel for the primary time because the lethal Oct. 7 Hamas terror assault, in accordance with Axios.

“I hope it’s not true. I heard the rumor. I hope it’s not true because we’re fighting not only Israel’s war, we’re at the forefront fighting the war against radical Islam, radical Islam in Gaza that is attacking Israelis, radical Islam in Europe that attacks Europeans, radical Islam on campuses in the United States of America, where they’re explicitly saying that they want America to change its laws to be Sharia, religious Islamic laws,” Bennett mentioned. 

“So we have to push this whole wave back, and we’re the ones doing the fighting, and we know that it’s our task to do it. What we expect is that our friends have our back.”

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In addressing college students engaging in antisemitic conduct at American schools, Bennett expressed hope that their actions stemmed from naivety slightly than malice.

“I would hope that it’s a naivete of these college students. They are so much on the wrong side. And I guess in a few years, when they grow up, they’ll – some of them at least – will realize how stupid it was, what they’re doing, because they’re fighting against the only democracy, liberal democracy in the Middle East.”

He added, “I can only be sorry about it. I’m sure that in the future, they’ll realize how mistaken this approach was.”

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