Netanyahu compares Jesus and Genghis Khan in Iran war speech, drawing backlash

2026.03.20 19:50 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on Thursday. Photo: EPA Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected accusations on Friday that he had intended to offend Christians when he said the previous day that Jesus had “no advantage” over Genghis Khan. “More fake news about my attitude towards Christians, who are protected and flourish in Israel. Let me be clear: I did not denigrate Jesus Christ at my news conference,” Netanyahu wrote in English on social media. “To the contrary, I cited the great American historian Will Durant. A fervent admirer of Jesus Christ, Durant stated that morality by itself is not enough to ensure survival,” he added. “A morally superior civilisation may still fall to a ruthless enemy if it does not have the power to defend itself. No offence was meant,” he said. On Thursday evening, the prime minister had said during a televised meeting with the foreign press that “history proves that, unfortunately and unhappily, Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan because if you are strong enough, ruthless enough, powerful enough, evil will overcome good”. “Aggression will overcome moderation. So you have no choice,” he added, quoting Durant. In that address, Netanyahu defended the joint US-Israeli strike on Iran launched on February 28 – which triggered a regional war – and insisted that it was the best way to protect not only Israel but “the entire world” against what he called the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. His remarks sparked a wave of criticism on social media, particularly from Christians angered by the comparison between Jesus – whom they regard as God incarnate and the “Prince of Peace” – and Genghis Khan, founder of the 13th century Mongol Empire whose armies ravaged Asia from China to the Mediterranean. Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor from Bethlehem, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, said on social media that Net

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