U2's Bono Slams Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir, Compares Rhetoric to Himmler

Bono, the lead singer of the Irish rock band U2, has launched a strong criticism against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, comparing his rhetoric concerning Gazan residents to that of Nazi official Heinrich Himmler. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Bono addressed remarks Ben-Gvir made in August on a podcast, where the minister called for targeted killings in Gaza and stated, "There are people there who are not worthy of living. They do not need to live. They are not even human beings."

Bono, who identified himself as someone who "stood by Israel and still stands by Israel," expressed dismay that Ben-Gvir remains in his government position. "But here is a man, a minister in government, and he is not arrested," Bono stated, also referencing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's need for Ben-Gvir to maintain his coalition majority. Bono further commented that Ben-Gvir "casts a shadow on their religion," referring to Judaism, and called the situation "outrageous."

The musician also reiterated his condemnation of the October 7th Hamas attack, emphasizing his continued support for Israel while also advocating for the Palestinian people and the establishment of a Palestinian state. This is not the first time Bono has publicly criticized Ben-Gvir and the Israeli government. Earlier this year, he also spoke out against Ben-Gvir and fellow minister Bezalel Smotrich, and in a published article, called for Israel to release Marwan Barghouti, stating at the time that Ben-Gvir "really wants is to execute the peace process."