ISRAEL’S president has denied that there is a genocide and famine in Gaza despite mounting evidence from international experts.
In his only televised interview during his three-day visit to the UK, Isaac Herzog told GB News that it was “absolutely wrong” and “unacceptable” to suggest there is an ongoing genocide in Gaza perpetrated by Israel.
He also “rejected totally” any notion that Gaza was approaching a famine, claiming that there is a “huge amount of food being supplied in”.
Herzog claimed there had been an “enormous distortion” by “certain media outlets and commentators”, and railed against UK Government plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
Ahead of Herzog’s arrival, the UK Government ruled that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza.
However, this position is at odds with international expert opinion. Human rights experts such as Amnesty International, B'Tselem, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), among others, consider Israel's brutal assault on Gaza to be a genocide.
More than 64,700 Palestinians have been killed since October 7 2023, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
And in August, famine was declared in Gaza City by the international body responsible for monitoring world hunger.
The announcement was made by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which is a globally recognised system for classifying the severity of food insecurity and malnutrition. Israel has previously rejected the declaration.
And, Herzog repeatedly denied that Israel has anything to answer for, and blamed Hamas for food shortages.
“We, Israel, are defending Europe, defending the world, the free world, as we are doing it with our sons and daughters fighting and changing the reality in Lebanon, in Syria, in Yemen, in Iran, and of course in Gaza, which is a painful, complicated terrain of battle,” he told the right-wing broadcaster.
“In people’s homes there are missiles of the worst kind and other equipment, and everything is booby trapped up to the neck and that is why it is a complicated terrain of battle.
“That is why there is no hunger and no famine in Gaza.”
Asked if he denied the pictures of starving children in Gaza, he said: “No, what I'm saying is that before two months ago there was a period where we wanted to take out the control of Hamas controlling the food, because they use the food as a tool to coerce their opinion on the people of Gaza, 80% of who want them out.
“They are interviewed on Israeli TV every night and I wish GB would also bring some of those interviews to show how much they are suffering from Hamas.
“So we proposed a new scheme, whereby the food will be supplied to the people directly, and Hamas nixed it.
“That’s what led to a shortage of food, I understand it, I admit it but I say that was not the intention in any way and that’s why Israel overhauled completely its policy.”
There have been numerous reports of Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza being killed by Israeli forces.
And, the IAGS, one of the world’s foremost experts, said that Israel had engaged in “widespread crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide” in Gaza.
Herzog, when asked about the genocide and plans for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state, said that both were “absolutely wrong and unacceptable”.
“First and foremost, we are operating according to your international law when we go in to defend ourselves from missiles in people’s homes, mosques, shops, tunnels, living rooms, that’s what we find in Gaza.
“A horrendous situation of a huge terror machine that was built down under, throughout the years.
“Second, I reject and I say it on behalf of the position of Israel, we reject the idea of a unilateral declaration of recognising a Palestinian state, it's dangerous, it will flare up emotions, it won’t bring out any hostage and won’t help any Palestinian.
“On the contrary, I demand from world leaders, including the British Government, to stand firm together and say to Hamas we won’t talk to any Palestinian, any one of you, until you release the hostages, they’ll see that it may work better.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that Britain would follow France’s lead in recognising a Palestinian state – if Israel failed to meet a list of demands including a commitment to delivering a two-state solution.
This includes a commitment to ending the annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank and taking steps to ending the “appalling situation in Gaza” if it wishes to prevent Palestinian recognition.
Herzog met with Starmer on Wednesday, and described the meeting as “thorny”, in particular over the issue of Palestinian recognition, claiming it would make Hamas feel as if they had the “upper hand”.
“We reject totally the notion that there is any famine right now in Gaza, on the contrary, in the last two months Israel has overhauled and changed all its policy,” he said.
“Gaza is open and there is a huge amount of food being supplied in, with a sharp reduction of the cost of produce and food and all other necessary needs in Gaza.”
Ahead of Herzog’s arrival in the UK, there were attempts to obtain an international arrest warrant and calls for the Israeli president to be arrested on arrival.
