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Bennett: Israel Now Linked to "Genocide" Among US Students
(MENAFN) Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has warned that Israel has become tied to the word "genocide" in the minds of American students, describing a sharp shift in the country's public image in the United States.
"For the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel, among the American public, Israel has become a negative brand," Bennett said in a recent interview.
"If you ask an American student, 'Israel — what comes to mind?' They say genocide. That's the situation," he said, speaking on a podcast" on the All-in platform.
Drawing a comparison to how nations are typically linked with certain symbols, Bennett said: "You say Italy — 'pasta, spaghetti.' You say Israel — 'baby killers.'"
He pushed back on the perception itself, saying: "Obviously, that isn't true and it isn't fair, but that is the situation."
Bennett also attributed part of the shift in American public opinion to what he characterized as Qatar's growing influence in the US.
"Part of this is because we allowed Qatar to operate and build influence for 25 years," he said.
The remarks come as Israel faces mounting international criticism over its war in Gaza and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. A US-backed ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip last October, but repeated Israeli violations of the truce have since killed more than 1,300 Palestinians across the territory and injured over 4,300 more. Hundreds of bodies have also been recovered from beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Gaza's Health Ministry reports that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war on the coastal strip in October 2023. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been wanted since 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
"For the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel, among the American public, Israel has become a negative brand," Bennett said in a recent interview.
"If you ask an American student, 'Israel — what comes to mind?' They say genocide. That's the situation," he said, speaking on a podcast" on the All-in platform.
Drawing a comparison to how nations are typically linked with certain symbols, Bennett said: "You say Italy — 'pasta, spaghetti.' You say Israel — 'baby killers.'"
He pushed back on the perception itself, saying: "Obviously, that isn't true and it isn't fair, but that is the situation."
Bennett also attributed part of the shift in American public opinion to what he characterized as Qatar's growing influence in the US.
"Part of this is because we allowed Qatar to operate and build influence for 25 years," he said.
The remarks come as Israel faces mounting international criticism over its war in Gaza and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. A US-backed ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip last October, but repeated Israeli violations of the truce have since killed more than 1,300 Palestinians across the territory and injured over 4,300 more. Hundreds of bodies have also been recovered from beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Gaza's Health Ministry reports that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war on the coastal strip in October 2023. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been wanted since 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
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