Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday that Israel is facing a “siege” orchestrated by China and Qatar, accusing both countries of working to undermine support from Israel’s allies, particularly in the United States and Europe.
Speaking before a bipartisan group of 250 U.S. lawmakers visiting Jerusalem, Netanyahu said: “Democrats and Republicans alike, we value and cherish your support. And there is an active effort to erode it.”
He likened this political “blockade” to what he described as Iran’s attempts to impose a “military siege” on Israel through its regional proxies.
The prime minister alleged that China and Qatar were driving online campaigns in the West and the U.S. aimed at damaging Israel’s legitimacy.
“We will have to counter it, and we will counter it with our own efforts,” Netanyahu vowed.He also pointed a finger at what he called “large Islamist minorities in Western Europe,” accusing them of aligning with Hamas and Iran to pressure European governments through “violent protests and constant intimidation.”
