Netanyahu blasts ‘monstrous big lie’ that Israel killed Kirk, suggests conspiracists are paid by Qatar

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again rails against unfounded online conspiracies blaming Israel for the assassination of right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk, insinuating that they may be being peddled by people paid by Qatar.

The allegation comes as Netanyahu’s office has been embroiled in a scandal over Qatari payments to some of his top advisers.

Charlie Kirk was a great man. He deserves honor – not lies. pic.twitter.com/NwEN4B2q7w

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 18, 2025

“Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, said that the bigger the lie, the faster it will spread,” Netanyahu says in a video statement published on X. “Well, somebody has fabricated a monstrous big lie, that Israel had something to do with Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder.

“This is insane. It is false. It is outrageous,” he says, praising Kirk for his enthusiastic pro-Israel activism and noting that they had spoken multiple times and that the premier had recently invited Kirk to visit Israel.

Conspiracists have been claiming, without evidence, that the Jewish state is behind the assassination due to mild criticism he voiced of Israel’s policies.

Netanyahu says that, on the contrary, he welcomed the occasional differing viewpoint because “this is the essence of Charlie, the essence of a free country,” and since he knew Kirk’s suggestions “always came from the heart, from his love for Israel, and from his love for the Jewish people.”

“Now, some are peddling these disgusting rumors — perhaps out of obsession, perhaps with Qatari funding,” the premier adds, concluding that Kirk deserves “honor, not lies.”