Israel's Minister of Heritage for the Otzma Yehudit party, Amichai Eliyahu, was interviewed Sunday morning by the ultra-Orthodox radio station Kol Barama and provided an unusual and controversial statement.
When asked by interviewers Israel Cohen and Vicky Adamker whether an atomic bomb should be dropped on Gaza, Eliyahu replied, "That's one way." On the dangerous consequences for the abductees in such a case, he said, "I pray and hope for their return, but there are also costs in war."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Eliyahu's remarks. "Minister Amichai Eliyahu's words are detached from reality," Netanyahu said. "Israel and the IDF operate according to the highest standards of international law in order to prevent harm to non-involved civilians, and we will continue to do so until victory."
"There is no such thing as non-combatants in Gaza"
"The civilian population is no different from Hamas, the murderers who came in civilian clothes, should they be toppled? They have to tremble, lower their eyes when they see an IDF soldier. When you talk about uninvolved persons, you fail. We would not bring humanitarian aid to the Nazis. There is no such thing as non-combatants in Gaza. Everyone who raised these monsters should be held accountable."
"The IDF is hitting them hard, is it 100% the way I want, isn't it? 60% or 55% I think so."
Regarding dropping an atomic bomb, Eliyahu says, "One way is to check what scares them and what will create deterrence. They are not afraid of death, they sent their children to die. We need to understand what deters and frightens them, like after the Six-Day War. We break the IDF's warning with false morality. They need to understand that there is a price and the IDF is heading in the right direction."
Eliyahu added: "We need to exact a territorial price from them, we need to get them out of the Gaza Strip." On the possibility of abductees being harmed, he said: "They have to beg to return the abductees, what are the abductees? In war, a price is paid, why are the lives of the abductees more precious than the soldiers who will be harmed?"
Gaza after Israeli Air Force strikes, photo: AP
IDF soldiers inside the Gaza Strip, photo: IDF Spokesperson
Elijah's short political history is replete with extreme statements, some of which he even had to apologize. In the past, he said that "senior security officials operate in a rebellious format." In June of this year (2023), in another interview he held on the radio station Kol Barama, Aliahu said of Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron that he is "dirty on the State of Israel and harms the country's credit rating."
Eliyahu also said of him, "The governor had to be rolled up from all the stairs. It's a savage. It is unacceptable for officials to speak out against the government." Later, in an attempt to lower the flames, Elijah said: "The style was inappropriate, I was before the morning coffee."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to his remarks at the time, saying, "I strongly condemn Minister Amichai Eliyahu's remarks against the Governor of the Bank of Israel, a dedicated public servant who does his job faithfully for the benefit of the Israeli economy and the citizens of Israel."
Quality Government Movement: Fire Him Immediately
The responses to Minister Eliyahu's statement were not long in coming. The Quality Government Movement is calling for his immediate dismissal from the government. "Minister Eliyahu's statement marks the government's complete renunciation of its basic commitment to return the abducted and missing. Moreover, a minister in the Israeli government, certainly in times of war, cannot behave like the last of the tweeters. Every word he utters outwardly reflects the government's position, and when such slurs are uttered, the damage to the Israeli government and the State of Israel is enormous.
"We are now struggling in a number of arenas, including the arena of propaganda and international legitimacy to continue until the destruction of Hamas. Such talk severely damages Israel's war effort, and it must receive a harsh and immediate response that transcends any political consideration. Therefore, the prime minister must notify Minister Eliyahu of his immediate dismissal today."
Yesh Atid Party Chairman MK Yair Lapid said all of Eliyahu's remarks: "A shocking and crazy statement by an irresponsible minister. It harmed the families of the abductees, harmed Israeli society and harmed our international standing. The presence of extremists in the government endangers us and the success of the war's goals – the victory of Hamas and the return of the hostages. Netanyahu must fire him this morning."
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