Netanyahu Rebukes Western Allies Over Gaza Ultimatum: “This Is a War of Civilization Against Barbarism”

By: Fern Sidman

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a blistering rebuke to the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, and Canada on Monday after they issued a joint warning threatening “concrete actions” unless Israel halts its military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. As reported by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), Netanyahu denounced the ultimatum as a “dangerous betrayal” of Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorism and framed it as a reward for the atrocities of October 7.

“By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed, and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottawa, and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, while inviting more such atrocities,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement cited by JNS.

The harsh diplomatic exchange speaks volumes about the widening rift between Jerusalem and some of its traditional Western allies, as Israel refuses to yield in its campaign to dismantle the Hamas terror infrastructure in Gaza — an operation Israeli leaders argue is essential for the country’s survival and for the security of the region.

Netanyahu’s statement, as reported by JNS, forcefully reminded international leaders of how this war began — with a barbaric cross-border assault by Hamas terrorists who murdered 1,200 Israelis, most of them civilians, and abducted over 250 others. Since that day, Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and remove its leadership from power — objectives that Netanyahu insists are non-negotiable.

“The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled, and Gaza is demilitarized,” Netanyahu’s office declared. “No nation can be expected to accept anything less, and Israel certainly won’t.”

The statement, featured in the JNS report, emphasized that Israel is waging a “war of civilization over barbarism,” and warned that compromising before full victory is achieved would embolden future terrorist attacks not only against Israel, but against democracies worldwide.

The diplomatic firestorm erupted after France, the UK, and Canada released a joint communiqué on Monday expressing opposition to continued IDF operations and demanding an immediate ceasefire, citing what they described as “intolerable” human suffering in Gaza.

“We call on the Israeli government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter,” the statement read.

While acknowledging Israel’s right to defend itself, the three countries accused Netanyahu’s government of pursuing a “wholly disproportionate escalation” and warned of potential retaliatory measures if Israel does not relent.

“We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions,” they stated. “If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”

As the report at JNS noted, Hamas immediately seized on the Western statement as a propaganda victory, calling it “a step in the right direction.” That response prompted outrage in Israel, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responding bluntly on X: “What a disgrace.”

At the World Jewish Congress General Assembly in Jerusalem, Sa’ar further rebuked Western critics: “I want to tell every country, mainly those who had colonial pasts — this is a proud nation, an independent nation, fighting for its existence. We will not accept any dictates from outside with regard to our national security!”

His remarks, as reported by JNS, were met with applause from Jewish leaders around the world, many of whom view the current European position as a shameful moral capitulation in the face of Islamist terror.

As part of their joint statement, the UK, France, and Canada reiterated their commitment to a two-state solution, and pointed to an upcoming international conference in New York — co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France — as a venue to revive negotiations.

“These negotiations need to succeed… A two-state solution is the only way to bring long-lasting peace and security,” they said.

But as JNS has reported, Israeli leaders across the political spectrum increasingly view these demands as tone-deaf at best and dangerous at worst, especially in the aftermath of October 7, which many see as the deadliest manifestation yet of what a Palestinian state under terrorist control could look like.

Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s support for President Trump’s peace vision, which places security guarantees at the forefront and rejects the imposition of a Palestinian state on pre-1967 lines.

“Israel backs President Trump’s peace vision,” Netanyahu said. “We urge our European allies to do the same.”

The statements issued by London, Ottawa, and Paris represent, in the eyes of many Israelis and Jewish leaders, not just a political miscalculation but a profound moral failure. As JNS emphasized in its report, there is a growing perception that Israel is being singled out and pressured not because of humanitarian concerns, but because of political expediency and public opinion pressures in Europe.

This approach — pressuring the victim of terrorism while treating the aggressor as a negotiating partner — is seen by many in Israel as a dangerous appeasement that rewards atrocity and undermines the global fight against terror.

Israel’s response, as articulated by Netanyahu and Sa’ar and reported by JNS, is unequivocal: the Jewish state will not bow to foreign dictates or allow itself to be coerced into surrender. The war will continue until Hamas is defeated, the hostages are freed, and the citizens of Israel can live without the constant shadow of jihadist terror on their southern border.

For Israel, this is a war not just for land, but for dignity, survival, and moral clarity. And as the JNS report warned, the failure of Western democracies to stand firm in support of Israel today may come to haunt them tomorrow — when the forces of terror knock on their own doors.