JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli officials sent their condolences and condemned the assassination of Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk as Israel fights its own war against terrorism, while remembering both the anniversary of 9-11 and October 7th.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that Kirk was murdered for speaking the truth and defending freedom. He posted on X that as a “lion-hearted friend of Israel,” Kirk “Fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.”
Netanyahu added, “I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place. We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk.”
As Israel continues to take flak for its targeted attack this week on Hamas leaders gathered in Qatar, the prime minister, on the eve of 9/11, the worst attack ever on American soil, compared America’s response on September 11th to Israel’s reaction after October 7th, 2023.
“What did America do in the wake of September 11th? It promised to hunt down the terrorists who committed this heinous crime, wherever they may be. And it also passed a resolution in the Security Council of the UN, two weeks later, that said that governments cannot give harbor to terrorists.”
Netanyahu contends that Israel’s strike in Qatar followed that resolution.
“We acted along those lines. We went after the terrorist masterminds who committed the October 7th massacre,” he declared. “And we did so in Qatar, which gives safe haven, it harbors terrorists, it finances Hamas, it gives its terrorist chieftains sumptuous villas, it gives them everything.”
He asserted that Israel did what America did when it killed Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden in Pakistan; yet Israel faces condemnation.
“Now, the various countries of the world condemn Israel, he said. “They should be ashamed of themselves. What did they do after America took out Osama bin Laden? Did they say, ‘Oh, what a terrible thing was done to Afghanistan or to Pakistan?’ No, they applauded. They should applaud Israel for standing up to the same principles and carrying them out. And I say to Qatar and all nations who harbor terrorists: you either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.”
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National Security expert Dr. Eyal Pinko of the Besa Center told the Jerusalem Press Club recently that even though Qatar is publicly condemning the attack, it’s benefiting from the killing of Hamas leaders who were under Iranian control.
“Qatar really wants to have a ceasefire because of Trump administration pressure,” he stated, and added, “So now it’s (an) amazing time – you can take out all Hamas leadership. This probably will accelerate this, the ceasefire agreement, and bringing back the hostages, and they can replace immediately the Hamas leadership that will be 100 percent under their control without Iranian involvement.”
In Yemen, the Israel Defense Forces struck terror targets in response to recent missile attacks on Israel.
In Gaza, the IDF continues to warn civilians, through recorded messages, text messages, and leaflets, to leave Gaza City.. The messages include a phone number to call if Hamas is blocking their exit.
President Trump met on Wednesday with several freed Israeli hostages in the White House.
And in Israel, Elizabeth Tsurkov, released from captivity in Iraq, landed in Tel Aviv Wednesday evening and was taken to Sheba Medical Center, where many hostages have been taken after their release. Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli, was kidnapped in Iraq two and a half years ago by an Iranian proxy group as she was researching for her doctorate.
