Israeli President Isaac Herzog slammed CNN on Thursday for accusing his
country of committing a "war crime" by imposing hardships on the people
of Gaza as it responds to a massive terror attack by the Hamas
terrorist group, which operates throughout the Gaza Strip.

Herzog, whose role is ceremonial and diplomatic, is a former left-wing
politician who had advocated for peace and negotiations with the
Palestinians. But he, like much of the rest of Israel, strongly
supports overwhelming response to Palestinian terrorism.

In a news conference with the foreign press, Herzog described some of
the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli civilians, and said
that Israel would respond to Palestinian terror with an "iron fist,"
while adhering to the laws of war.

Herzog answered a question from the UK's itv about avoiding hardship to
ordinary Gazans by rejecting the idea that they were unaware of Hamas's
terrorist operations. "It's absolutely not true. ... There is a short
memory in the world."

https://youtu.be/t4nJvGUhayM

He noted that Israel had left Gaza unilaterally in 2005, and that
instead of building the "Hong Kong of the Middle East," Palestinians
had allowed Hamas to build a "machine of evil." He said he was
disappointed by the "same old rhetoric."

"We are operating militarily according to the rules of international
law. Period. Unequivocally. But we are at war. We are at war. We are
defending our homes. We are protecting our homes. That's the truth. And
when a nation protects its home, it fights. and we will fight until we
break their backbone."

Becky Anderson of CNN then asked: "The collective punishment of a
civilian population amounts to a war crime under international law. The
U.S. has warned Israel to uphold laws at war."

Herzog interrupted her: "Now we're starting with the rhetoric about war
crimes? Really? Truly? ... With all due respect, I do believe that this
comes totally out of context."

A journalist from Channel 4 in the UK later followed up by accusing
Herzog of "hold[ing] the people of Gaza responsible" for not removing
Hamas, and therefore by implication that makes them legitimate targets.

"I did not say that ... But with all due respect, if you have a missile
in your goddamned kitchen, and you want to shoot it at me, am I allowed
to defend myself? Yes!"

He continued, after back-and-forth with the journalist: "We have to
fight! What do you want us to do? ... We are fighting terror. Humanity
has to decide: are we accommodating terror, or are we fighting terror?
We are fighting terror.

"I agree: there are many, many, innocent Palestinians ... but
unfortunately, in their homes, there are missiles shooting at us, at my
children, at the entire nation of Israel. ... This is the tragedy of
terror, and there is no mercy to terror."

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Let's go Brandon!