By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has faulted claims that he insulted Jesus Christ, following backlash over remarks he made during a press briefing.
Netanyahu made the clarification on Friday after his earlier comments, where he said Jesus had “no advantage” over Genghis Khan sparked criticism, particularly among Christians.
“More fake news about my attitude towards Christians, who are protected and flourish in Israel. Let me be clear: I did not denigrate Jesus Christ at my news conference,” Netanyahu wrote in English on X.
“To the contrary, I cited the great American historian Will Durant. A fervent admirer of Jesus Christ, Durant stated that morality by itself is not enough to ensure survival,” he added.
“A morally superior civilization may still fall to a ruthless enemy if it does not have the power to defend itself. No offense was meant,” he wrote.
The controversy began on Thursday during a televised meeting with foreign journalists, where Netanyahu said: “History proves that, unfortunately and unhappily, Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan because if you are strong enough, ruthless enough, powerful enough, evil will overcome good.”
“Aggression will overcome moderation. So you have no choice,” he added.
During the same address, Netanyahu defended the joint Israeli-US strike on Iran launched on February 28, which escalated into a regional conflict, insisting the action was necessary to protect Israel and “the entire world” from Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
The remarks triggered widespread reactions on social media, with many Christians criticising the comparison between Jesus, revered as the “Prince of Peace,” and Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire founder known for violent conquests across Asia and parts of Europe.
Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor from Bethlehem, described the statement as “offensive on multiple levels”.
AFP quoted him as saying, “It not only compares Jesus to Genghis Khan,” he wrote, “but also suggests that the way of Jesus is naive, while a ruthless, ‘might makes right’ approach… is what ultimately allows good to overcome evil.”
“Netanyahu, and his Christian Zionist supporters, are making a mockery of the ethics of Jesus,” he added.
