Israel and Trump Denounce Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Navi Pillay

Israel's Foreign Ministry and U.S. President Donald Trump have launched a sharp, unprecedented attack on Navi Pillay, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, following the announcement that she will receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Pillay previously headed a UN commission of inquiry that accused Israel of genocide in Gaza.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry expressed its "fury" in a strongly worded statement, accusing Pillay of spreading lies, hatred, and blood libels against Israel. The ministry asserted that awarding her the prize was not a recognition of justice but an attempt to legitimize hatred and prejudice against Israel through one of the world's most prestigious awards. "If there were a prize for lies, hatred, and blood libels, Navi Pillay would not only be a candidate, but one of the leaders," the ministry stated, adding that Nazi propaganda minister Josef Goebbels would surely applaud from hell.

President Trump also criticized the decision, citing Pillay's stance on Israel and her UN report. "I don't know anything about this woman, and neither does anyone else. As far as I know, nobody has ever heard of her, except that she, very clearly, hates Israel," Trump wrote on social media. Speaking at a rally in Syracuse, New York, Trump called Pillay an unknown figure and expressed outrage that the prize was not awarded to him, claiming he had helped end eight wars and deserved eight Nobel Peace Prizes. He further condemned the Nobel Committee and Norway, calling the decision an "unerasable stain" on the country and stating that the prize had lost its credibility due to a decision made by "extreme ideologues" opposed to democracy.

Pillay, an 85-year-old South African jurist, previously served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and as a judge at the International Criminal Court. The Nobel Committee cited her contributions to international justice, human rights, and the fight against war crimes as reasons for the award. Pillay received the news of her award while visiting Nuremberg, Germany, near the historic court where Nazi war criminals were tried after World War II. Responding humorously to applause, she remarked that if the clapping continued, she might share the prize with Trump.