Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday invoked the theory of ‘Amalek’, a nation in the Hebrew Bible, to justify the killing of Gazans in a war between Israel and Hamas that has killed more than 1,400 Israelis and 8,000 people in Gaza.
“You must remember what Amalek did to you, says our Holy Bible,” Netanyahu said.
The quote Netanyahu refers to is the book of Samuel in chapter 15 verse 3: “Now go and smite Amalek, utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but kill both man and woman, infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey “.
Israel’s military has opened a second phase in the war against Hamas by sending ground forces into Gaza and expanding attacks from land, sea and air, the prime minister said.
“There are times when a nation is faced with two options: do or die. Now we face that test and I have no doubt how it will end: we will be victorious. We will do and we will be victorious,” Netanyahu said.
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza rose on Saturday to just over 7,700 since the start of the war, with 377 deaths reported as of Friday night, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
What is Amalek, a nation in the Hebrew Bible?
The Hebrew Bible describes the Amalek nation as an ardent enemy of the Israelites. The term “Amalek” can refer to Esau’s grandson who founded the land, his descendants, the Amalekites, or the Amalekite territories they inhabited.
According to the Book of Exodus, the tribe of Israel was attacked by the Amalekites as they fled Egypt. The descendants of Amalek were cursed by God even though Israel defeated the Amalekites, Klix.ba reports.
