Lukashenko attacks Israel over Gaza, warns its future is at risk

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gave a combative interview on Monday in which he sharply attacked Israel, questioned its future as a state, and made openly antisemitic remarks. Speaking to Al Arabiya, he said there is no military solution in the Middle East and argued that the war between Israel and Iran should end through negotiations.

Lukashenko said Israel has become overly dependent on the United States and claimed recent events showed how much Washington can influence Israeli decisions. Referring to tensions between Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said, "When Trump reprimanded Netanyahu, something changed," adding that this proved "the total dependence of Israel on the United States." He also said Israel fears this more than anything because its geography and Iran's military capabilities make American support critical.

The harshest part of his comments focused on Gaza. Lukashenko said Israel has already damaged its standing worldwide and declared, "They have already gained such a reputation in the world that there is nowhere to continue after bombing Gaza." He asked, "What kind of Holocaust can justify the killing of so many people, mainly women and children?" and said, "They erased everything there from the face of the earth." He also mocked talk of building a resort there, calling it "absolute stupidity."

Lukashenko warned that Israel must reconsider its course and survival, saying that "even nuclear weapons" would not help it if it does not rethink its path. He also called the U.S. strikes on Iran a "fatal mistake," said Washington entered the war because it wanted to, and added that Israel and the United States should think about compensating Iran for the damage. He concluded that the Middle East will not look the same after the war.