PM calls antisemitism a ‘disease,’ says he was ‘surprised’ by October 7 massacre

Antisemitism is a “disease” threatening all civilized societies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells the Israeli government’s international conference on combating antisemitism in Jerusalem.

Before the Holocaust, Netanyahu says many people understood that growing European antisemitism would destroy not only Jewry but also the surrounding civilizations.

“Today we issue a similar warning — the fate of free societies is tied to their willingness to fight the scourge of antisemitism.”

Now, Netanyahu says, this hatred has reemerged in the form of Hamas and radical Islam in Yemen, Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza.

“On October 7, we were surprised by a terrible massacre,” Netanyahu says. “What we learned that day, for those who needed to learn, was that if they could, these savage Hamas terrorists would have murdered every last man, woman, and child.”

Before Hamas’s 2023 attack, Netanyahu notes that former Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said Israel was like a spider web. “Now, a year and a half later, Nasrallah is gone, Haniyeh is gone, and Hamas has been brought to its knees.”

Netanyahu turns to international guests attending the conference, including a group of controversial right-wing European politicians.

“Thank you for coming to Jerusalem,” he says. “Thank you for standing with Israel. Thank you for standing with the forces of civilization against the forces of barbarism.”