Israel

Israel's Ben-Gvir Says 'All of Lebanon Must Burn'

Are the security minister's remarks a fringe view or do they represent a racist undercurrent in Israeli society?

Published 2 hours ago

Israel's Ben-Gvir Says 'All of Lebanon Must Burn'

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Above: Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir enters Jerusalem's Old City under police escort on May 14, 2026. Image credit: Jamal Awad/Xinhua/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

These comments from Ben-Gvir are not only incitement to violence, but call for the elimination of a whole people. They are abhorrent and must be widely condemned.

Yvette Cooper on X

Piers Morgan on X

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Pro-Israel narrative

Ben-Gvir does not represent the people of Israel, Judaism or Zionism. He represents hate and division. After the coming election, Israelis will return their country to what its founders contemplated: A free, liberal and democratic state that advocates true Jewish values.

Omri Ronen on X

Anti-Israel narrative

Any time Ben-Gvir makes the headlines for his hateful rhetoric, it is claimed that he doesn't represent Israel. But this is a falsehood. How would he and figures like Smotrich have been elected if they did not represent a racist undercurrent that exists in the country.

Guardian