Netanyahu invokes ancient religious texts to justify pre-emptive warfare

August 25, 2026 at 06:26 PM3 min

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked ancient Jewish religious texts to validate pre-emptive warfare and bypass international law at a June conference in West Jerusalem. He cited the phrase 'If someone comes to kill you, rise and kill him first' to justify Israel's security doctrine. The rhetoric has been cited in genocide allegations against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Key Facts

Netanyahu spoke at a Jewish conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in West Jerusalem in June.
He invoked the Hebrew phrase 'If someone comes to kill you, rise and kill him first' to describe Israel's security doctrine.
South African lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi cited Netanyahu's 'remember what Amalek has done to you' command as evidence of genocidal intent at ICJ hearings in January 2024.
More than 73,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
In January 2026, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights UK filed a request for UK sanctions on Netanyahu over the Amalek comment.

Religious Justification

Netanyahu outlined a shift in Israel's security doctrine at the conference, invoking a Hebrew phrase rooted in an ancient Jewish religious and legal text. He translated the phrase as 'If someone comes to kill you, rise and kill him first', then simplified it in English as 'Kill them first'. Netanyahu indicated that Israel should take the initiative before an enemy can strike, echoing the impetus for Israel's strategy in the 1967 war. Traditional military strategy has generally avoided framing Israel's conflicts as an existential holy war, likely due to concerns about global criticism.

Genocide Allegations

At International Court of Justice hearings in January 2024, South African lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi highlighted Netanyahu's command to Israeli troops to 'remember what Amalek has done to you'. Ngcukaitobi told the court that the reference is to the Biblical command by God to Saul for the retaliatory destruction of an entire group of people. He concluded that this was evidence of genocidal intent in Gaza, where more than 73,400 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. Other experts also describe the war as a genocide. In January 2026, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights UK filed a formal request for the United Kingdom to impose targeted financial and travel sanctions on Netanyahu due to this comment.

Dehumanising Language

Other Israeli leaders and commanders have used similar language to demonise Palestinians and dictate military actions. Former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced a complete siege on Gaza, including power, food and fuel, saying Israel was fighting 'human animals'. While not explicitly a religious reference, it is indicative of the dehumanising language used by Israeli leaders against Palestinians. Jewish religious figures have in the past issued edicts to the military; in 2004, leading rabbi Avraham Shapira warned soldiers that dismantling illegal settlements in the West Bank and Gaza was a major sin akin to eating pork. Since the 1948 Nakba, when 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their homes during the formation of the Israeli state, the country's leaders have also used religious discourse during times of war.