The Dispute Index

Benjamin Netanyahu

Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu
Office of the Vice President of the United States

Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician who leads the Likud party and has served as prime minister since December 2022. He previously held that office from 1996 to 1999 and 2009 to 2021, and served as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988 and finance minister from 2003 to 2005.

Also known as Bibi Netanyahu, Binyamin NetanyahuWebsite (opens in a new tab)
X (opens in a new tab)Facebook (opens in a new tab)Telegram (opens in a new tab)Instagram (opens in a new tab)Threads (opens in a new tab)

What DI has documented

DI has documented statements by Benjamin Netanyahu on Antisemitism, Aviation Safety, and Free Speech, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.

Topics in this coverage

Show all 13 topics

Statements by Benjamin Netanyahu

Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime minister of Israel and Likud chairman, in an interview with Radio North 104.5FM

Condemned

Response to this claim

Galia Albin and others have called Likud supporters chimpanzees and baboons.

“That is a highly inappropriate remark, and I condemn it (Translated from Hebrew. Original: זו אמירה מאוד לא ראויה, אני מגנה אותה)”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Netanyahu condemns 'monkey' slur against Eisenkot, claims Likud members face worse · The Times of IsraelArticle text, paragraphs 1-24
Why we used this label

The reference point is Magal's on-air remark calling Gadi Eisenkot a monkey run by Ashkenazi elites. Netanyahu calls the remark highly inappropriate and says he condemns it. His added criticism of Eisenkot over insults he says target Likud voters does not withdraw that condemnation.

Read statementChannel 14 host Yinon Magal calls Gadi Eisenkot a "monkey"; Netanyahu condemns the remark but says Likud voters are insulted every day
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime Minister of Israel, in a post on his X account

Defended or excused

Statement summary

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was demanding that the IDF chief of staff, the Shin Bet director and the attorney general open a comprehensive investigation against the people who took part in NAZA and prosecute them for information-security offenses, criminal defamation and harm to Israel's diplomatic and security interests.

“I demand that the Chief of Staff, the head of the Shin Bet and the Attorney General open a comprehensive investigation against the participants in the film "NAZA" and put them on trial for serious information-security offenses, criminal defamation and harm to Israel's diplomatic and security interests. (Translated from Hebrew. Original: אני דורש מהרמטכ״ל, מראש השב״כ ומהיועמ״שית לפתוח בחקירה מקיפה כנגד המשתתפים בסרט ״נז״א״ ולהעמיד אותם לדין בגין עבירות ביטחון מידע חמורות, הוצאת דיבה פלילית ופגיעה באינטרסים מדיניים וביטחוניים של ישראל.)”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Benjamin Netanyahu's post demanding an investigation of the participants in NAZA (X post) · Benjamin NetanyahuFull post, October 11, 2026, 8:31 p.m. Israel time; paragraph 1.
Why we used this label

The case asks whether Israel should investigate and prosecute the people who made NAZA or appeared in it, as Netanyahu demanded on October 11. Netanyahu demands that the three officials investigate the film's participants and put them on trial. That supports both investigation and prosecution, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged characterization, since he also calls the film false; it loses because he goes beyond disputing the film's account and demands criminal proceedings.

Read statementShould Israel investigate and prosecute those who took part in the film NAZA?
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime minister of Israel, through his official office

Condemned

Statement summary

Netanyahu condemns the award, accusing Pillay of demonizing Jews and helping ICC prosecutor Karim Khan build a false case against Israel.

“The Nobel Prize committee has lost its moral compass.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Netanyahu criticizes Pillay's Nobel Peace Prize · Benjamin NetanyahuComplete statement on the prime minister's official account
Why we used this label

He explicitly attacks the decision to honor Pillay.

Read statementWas the Nobel Committee right to award Navi Pillay the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize?
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime Minister of Israel, in a statement posted by the Prime Minister's Office on X

Condemned

Statement summary

In an October 2, 2026 statement posted by the Prime Minister's Office, Benjamin Netanyahu said that as time passes the picture is becoming clearer, that the attacker on flydubai flight FZ1073 had undergone Islamist radicalization and intended to crash the plane with all its passengers on board, and that passengers prevented a disaster on the scale of 9/11. He said Israel was investigating whether the attacker was sent and that whoever sent him would pay a very heavy price. He did not say what information supported the radicalization finding.

“The attacker underwent Islamist radicalization. He intended to crash the plane with all its passengers on board.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Prime Minister's Office of Israel posts Netanyahu's October 2 statement on the FZ1073 attacker · Prime Minister’s Office of IsraelPost by @IsraeliPM at 13:24 UTC on October 2, 2026, with a 22-second video
Why we used this label

The case asks whether a pilot deliberately tried to crash FZ1073. Netanyahu states without qualification that the attacker intended to crash the plane with everyone on board, a firmer version of his September 30 statement that the pilot apparently tried to crash it. We labeled it Condemned, the label this case uses for speakers who assert the attempt. His open question about whether the attacker was sent concerns who else was involved, not whether the attempt occurred.

Read statementDid a flydubai pilot try to crash Israel-bound flight FZ1073?
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime Minister of Israel, in an interview on Fox News's Fox & Friends

Condemned

Statement summary

In an October 1, 2026 interview on Fox & Friends, Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot underwent Islamist radical indoctrination and, after being subdued, called out to the crew "kill me," which he said showed the man was suicidal. He said it looked very likely that the man was going to down the plane with all the passengers on board and that his background gave "a pretty good clue," while adding that he does not make final conclusions yet.

“I know it's not clear, but it looks very likely that he was going to down the plane with all the passengers in there.”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Benjamin Netanyahu reveals details of foiled flydubai hijacking attempt (Fox & Friends, Fox News video, October 1, 2026)Video, 1:30-2:15 (of 15:18)
Why we used this label

The case asks whether a pilot deliberately tried to crash FZ1073. Netanyahu says it was clear and very likely that the attacker was going to down the plane, citing his call to be killed and his reported radicalization, so we labeled it Condemned, the label this case uses for speakers who assert the attempt. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because he says he does not make final conclusions yet, but that reservation concerns the final finding rather than his stated present view.

Read statementDid a flydubai pilot try to crash Israel-bound flight FZ1073?
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime Minister of Israel, in a video statement released by his office

Condemned

Response to this claim

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement on September 30, 2026 that one of the pilots of flydubai flight FZ1073 stabbed the second pilot and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board, and that an Israeli passenger told him the stabbing pilot was "trying to sabotage the plane's systems."

“During the flight, as they approached the country, one of the pilots stabbed the second pilot, and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board. ... while he was trying to sabotage the plane's systems.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Prime Minister Netanyahu statement on the incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 (English transcript and video) · Prime Minister’s Office of IsraelPost text with the English transcript of the 93-second video, posted 14:35 UTC on September 30, 2026
Why we used this label

The case asks whether a pilot deliberately tried to crash FZ1073. Netanyahu said the pilot "apparently tried to crash the plane," which asserts the proposition with the hedge "apparently." He attributed the account of what the pilot was doing to an Israeli passenger he had spoken with and did not cite an investigation. Under this case's reference point, an official asserting the attempt is labeled Condemned (an attributed accusation). The hedge and the passenger attribution are part of the record.

Read statementDid a flydubai pilot try to crash Israel-bound flight FZ1073?
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime Minister of Israel, during an address to the United Nations General Assembly

Condemned

Statement summary

At the United Nations General Assembly, Netanyahu says Mamdani tried to stop him from coming to New York and to silence him. He calls Hamas Mamdani's "buddies" and rejects Mamdani's description of Israel's conduct in Gaza.

“Mr. Mamdani, you tried to stop me from coming here. … You tried to silence me. Well, you can't silence me. You can't silence the truth. … Israel didn't commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide. And that's exactly what Mr. Mamdani's Hamas buddies would have done to us had we not stopped them.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Netanyahu remarks about Mamdani during the 2026 United Nations General AssemblyClip at 00:00 to 01:56.
Why we used this label

Netanyahu portrays Mamdani's campaign against his visit as an effort to stop and silence him, directly condemning Mamdani's conduct within this case.

Read statementIs Mamdani's campaign against Netanyahu's UN visit fomenting hate, or is it accountability for war crimes?
Portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu

Role at the time: Prime Minister of Israel, in a video message posted ahead of his UN visit

Condemned

Statement summary

Ahead of his UN General Assembly address, Netanyahu said he would tell the truth about Mamdani and accused him of supporting Hamas and inciting riots against Jewish New Yorkers.

“Shame on you, Mr. Mamdani. Shame on you for supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people. Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews. I'm coming to the UN. I'm going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I'm going to tell the truth about you.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)CBS News reports Netanyahu's response to Mamdani ahead of his UN visitFull text of the post.
Why we used this label

Netanyahu directly condemns Mamdani's conduct as incitement against Jewish New Yorkers, not merely disputing a specific fact about the ICC warrant.

Read statementIs Mamdani's campaign against Netanyahu's UN visit fomenting hate, or is it accountability for war crimes?
Older statements

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.