Moshe Feiglin's remarks have intensified scrutiny of Israel's military actions in Gaza, particularly concerning the high civilian death toll
NEW DELHI – Israeli far-right politician Moshe Feiglin has ignited international condemnation with his statement during a televised interview on Channel 14 recently. “Every child in Gaza is an enemy,” Feiglin declared, advocating for the occupation and settlement of Gaza, and suggesting that no Gazan child should remain in the besieged enclave. This assertion, equating all Palestinian children with enemy combatants, has been widely criticised as dehumanising and indicative of genocidal intent.
“The enemy is not Hamas, nor is it the military wing of Hamas,” Feiglin, a former member of the Israeli parliament (Knesset), told to Channel 14.
Feiglin’s remarks have intensified scrutiny of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, particularly concerning the high civilian death toll. According to Gaza health authorities, at least 53,655 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
The humanitarian crisis has escalated, with aid organisations reporting severe shortages of essential supplies and services.
Within Israel, the statement has further polarised public opinion. While some far-right factions have echoed similar sentiments, opposition figures and human rights advocates have condemned the rhetoric. Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert criticised the government’s actions in Gaza as bordering on war crimes, highlighting the moral and ethical implications of targeting civilians.
Olmert, who was prime minister from 2006 to 2009, said in an interview with the BBC that the “obvious appearance” of the campaign was that Israel was killing many Palestinians, and that “from every point of view, this is obnoxious and outrageous”. He said this after the leader of Israel’s centre-left Democrats party said his country was becoming a pariah nation that “kills babies as a hobby,” reports The Guardian.
Feiglin’s comments are part of a series of controversial statements by Israeli officials during the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich previously suggested that starving millions in Gaza was “justified and moral,” a remark that drew widespread international condemnation. Similarly, Minister Amichai Eliyahu faced backlash for implying that the use of nuclear weapons in Gaza was a viable option.
The declaration by Moshe Feiglin that “every child in Gaza is the enemy” has amplified global concerns regarding the conduct of Israeli officials and the ethical dimensions of the military campaign in Gaza. As civilian casualties continue to mount, the international community faces increased pressure to address the humanitarian crisis and hold accountable those whose statements and actions may contribute to the escalation of violence. – With inputs from Agencies
