Jerusalem – The Israeli prime minister’s 19-year-old son posted disparaging comments about Arabs and Muslims on his Facebook page, an Israeli paper reported Friday.
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Earlier this year, Yair Netanyahu posted that Muslims “celebrate hate and death,” the Haaretz daily reported. After Palestinian assailants entered a West Bank settlement and stabbed five members of an Israeli family to death, he wrote that “terror has a religion and it is Islam.”
Yair Netanyahu, the eldest of the prime minister’s two sons, is currently a soldier in the Israeli military’s media liaison unit.
A lawyer for the Netanyahu family, David Shimron, said the comments were those of a “teenager” and were “taken out of context in an attempt to defame the prime minister and his family,” Shimron said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.
According to the Haaretz report, the prime minister’s son also ran a Facebook group that called to boycott Arab businesses and products, and used obscenities to describe Arabs. He was 17 at the time. The group had a total of 23 members, the paper reported.
In another comment, he wrote that there had never been a Palestinian state and that he hoped “there would never be one.”
Haaretz said the comments in question were removed within two hours of the paper’s request for a response from the prime minister’s representatives.
A military spokesman said commanders had spoken to Netanyahu “to clarify to the soldier the military commands, outlining his mistakes, as would be done with any soldier in a similar situation.”
Some of the comments predated his military service, the military said.
Shimron, the Netanyahu family’s attorney, slammed Haaretz for reporting the comments.
“Bringing them up now is ridiculous and shows the cynical use of the words of a teenager, said in anger, when he could not imagine that someone would someday make use of them,” the lawyer wrote.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife believe in moderation and tolerance, and they respect all people without regard for their religion, origin or nationality and that is how they raise their children,” the statement said.
the kid’s right. If you or I said those things there’d be no problem. Leave him alone.
what did he say that isn’t true except to the liberals didnt golda m say something similar that peace will come when moslem mother’s love their children more then hate jews
Yair keep going, and keep saying the truth, don’t let anyone make you try to be nice to murderers even articles from Haaretz which were written by supporters of Islam
Chazan ubaruch
I am actually proud of these comments because they are painfully true.
* Take a survey around the world. Ask which “religion” is associated with terror more than any other. The answer will always be Islam. Even Muslims will say so – they are proud of it.
* What in any history that anyone alive today can remember points to any sincere efforts of any Muslims to live in peace with Israelis or Jews? I exclude the empty rhetoric of “peace” negotiations.
* Does anyone have record of Israeli to Palestinian terror? Anyone? Don’t all answer at once.
* There has never been a Palestinian state. If you believe otherwise, you have been drinking someone’s kool-ade. There is a group of people who call themselves Palestinians who “want” to create a state for themselves on land they wish to take from Israel by chasing them away through civilian murder and terror, and by manipulating the other nations of the world into capitulating to their terror.
I have not found a word of untruth in the Facebook comments. I would also question the writing of them in a public forum – bad judgment. But absolutely true. Truth might sometimes hurt. Accept it and move on.
What is the big deal, so what he posted the truth.
How did they smear him? It seems that they just reported what he wrote.
So whats the big deal??? Look at some of the Arabs Facebook pages and see what they write about Israelis/Jews! He wrote what he felt. Too bad he’s the PM’s son.
Haaretz has always looked to denigrate Israel with its left-wing views. Nobody should be surprised that Haaretz looks to bring shame on Bibi because of the views of his son, even when many people believe and see that Muslims “celebrate hate and death.” be it Jew, Christian, or American.
How stupid. At 19 years old he should know his place. His father is the leader of one of the world’s greatest democracies. Racist comments like that have no place in a political family and only undermine his father’s position in the world. At 19, no matter what his personal feelings may be, he should certainly know better and understand his place as a diplomat’s son. Shameful!
Wow. Hope he becomes the new Prime Minister. Sounds like he got his head screwed on straight.
Haaretz is Hypocritical!
The have no qualms about posting ‘commentary’ and editorials from the likes of Gideon Levy a left wing extremist, who never misses an opportunity to slam, berate, denigrate and insult religious and right leaning Israelis.
Where is the outrage.?
leave Netanyahu alone…
What do you expect from a 19 year old child? I would only guess that Mr. Netanyahu has not done enough to educate his own child on tolerance and compassion. That said, I guess this is only a news story because of his father and maybe even so to try to attack his father. But that said, who would not expect a 19 year old child to say such a remark after seeing that there really is alot that is broken and sick in the arab communities. Let this be a teaching point.
why can the arabs get away with what they write and do around the world. and this [the truth] is a problem.you know why because everyone says your not like them [ANIMALS]
Besides, who cares what someone posts on their own facebook page. Right?
If he made these comments he should retract and apoligize. Racist claptrap like this disqualifies a media liason. It makes us look like our enemies.
Oh how cute that Natanyahu’s son is serving in an arm chair general unit– media liaison. It use to be that Israeli politicians and high class served in combat units and were proud of it. Now, they send their children to serve in marching bands and media units.
I fail to see racism in his comments. Everýthing is based upon facts. Over 60 percent of the Palestinians sympathizEd with the Itamar murderers. It is documented and well publicised they handed out sweets. Now and during 911. This may be sad, but it is factual. Do not styphle true speech, because at the end the PA leadership AND their kids say much worse without incident, and they lie.
charliehall stop apologizing to murderer. I have friends in Eretz Yisrael who have older Arabs working for them and tell how bad they are to their own kind. I will give you a example; my friends worker bought a used car. He want to the fatah authority to register it.; without a bribe which is more than the car is worth they would not register it. He is sitting with an unregistered car and will not drive it as such. If you buy a new one they will register it since it comes through Israel and the VAT is paid which Israel give to fatah so everything is great. This people are not animals since
animals don’t act that way. The arabs are killers and the world needs to take off the rose color glasses. Please go into Sarcelles, France and see the arabs at work. The police and the fire department don’t go there
i don’t believe charlie is analyzing;he’s stating supposed facts but that isn’t really what matters here.charlie and you believe it’s racist to say that arabs celebrate death or that terrorism and islam are inextricably linked,sad examples of political correctness,even amongst frumme yidden.pc is crippling this countrie’s ability to fight terror or to have honest debate on these issues.
PMO, this is really not that big of a deal. If Bush’s child says a boner of sorts, it would be in the press for no more than an afternoon. That said, its really not the end all of embarrassing events and it really shows the sadness that exists in our culture. It is not a “shameful” situation and it really just is very sad and unfortunate. I do not think this is going to effect any peace process in any way and clearly the young man has alot to learn. In fact, of every stupid comment that gets to the press, good comes out of it. We will all learn that we must be compassionate and more thoughtful when we speak about other peoples. This is going to be the effect of this comment. Don’t think that the Netanyahu family is permanently scarred. And you really made a lot of comments on this topic. It must really be a very raw issue for you. Be worried about what BiBi says. His son is just fodder for the presses.
never saw the prime minister in a kipa…nice
He is just a kid.Because of this We cant blame his honourable father for his actions.He should be warned,but he should not allowed to do this anymore…
really is alot that is broken and sick in the arab communities
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Stephen
caravans