"Maybe we need to kill more civilians"

In May 2024, the president of the Religious Zionists of America, Martin Oliner, spoke directly to an Israeli government official at a private dinner event in Manhattan. The scope of his statements must be watched.

Read the full story published today in Prism:

‘Maybe we need to kill more civilians’: speaker at pro-Israel event

At an Israeli Heritage Foundation event in May 2024, Martin Oliner called for Israel to “take the lessons” from the atomic bombing of Japan

PrismGlen Stellmacher

It is notable that Oliner invokes “lehishmid veleharg” (להשמיד ולהרג).

Within the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), lehishmid veleharg is called for within a passage in Esther 8:11 :

Compare that passage with the thousands of women and children the Israelis have killed and the conspicuous looting and stealing from Palestinian homes that Israeli soldiers proudly post to their own social media.

A new UN report also highlights the deliberate Israeli killing of women and girls. Just today, Al Jazeera released a documentary highlighting Israeli targeting killing of children in Gaza.

Does the Israeli government incorporate lehishmid veleharg into its official doctrine? The Israeli Consulate in New York did not responded to my question.

Read the full story at Prism, including more from Oliner and newly revealed statements from Israeli consul general in New York Ofir Akunis, where he speaks directly about the campus protests against genocide.

3/27/25 UPDATE:

CAIR has issued a national Press Release calling for the removal of Oliner from the US Holocaust Memorial Council:

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-renews-call-for-removal-of-us-holocaust-memorial-council-member-who-says-maybe-we-need-to-kill-more-civilians-in-gaza/