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
Times of Israel report on Benjamin Netanyahu's October 18, 2026 interview with Radio North 104.5FM about Yinon Magal's remark, with reactions from Gadi Eisenkot, the Yashar party, Avigdor Liberman and others.
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.