Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko used an interview with Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya to launch a sweeping attack on Israel, arguing that the destruction in Gaza has led some people to question the Holocaust. He said many now ask, "What Holocaust?" and claimed that "everything was wiped off the face of the earth" because so many civilians, especially women and children, were killed.
Lukashenko mocked plans for rebuilding Gaza, saying some want to build "a resort on people’s bones." He warned Israel to be more cautious because the fighting could bring "unpredictable consequences," and said its standing in the international arena has collapsed since the war began. In his view, Israel is entirely dependent on the United States for its security, and without American missile supplies its air defense would not be able to handle a serious Iranian threat.
He also accused Israel of acting as though it can do anything, and said Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed innocent civilians and undermined regional settlement efforts. Lukashenko claimed even nuclear weapons would not help Israel if its current policy continues, and said Israel and the United States have in fact strengthened Iran by rallying support around Tehran’s leadership. He further argued that Israel dragged Washington into confrontation with Iran, while the "Jewish lobby" exerts major influence in U.S. politics.
The Belarusian leader also linked Israel to the war in Ukraine, saying efforts to reach a Russia-Ukraine agreement in 2022 were thwarted in part by Israelis and the "Jewish lobby." He said Vladimir Putin agreed to withdraw Russian forces from around Kyiv after assurances that Ukraine wanted peace, but claimed those assurances were not honored. He specifically referred to mediation by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Lukashenko’s remarks were unacceptable and deeply disturbing, especially given Belarus’s familiarity with the Holocaust. It rejected any comparison between the Holocaust and Israel’s war on terror, and condemned his recycling of old antisemitic conspiracy theories.
