Netanyahu dismisses 'insane' accusations that Israel was behind killing of Charlie Kirk

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Newsmax on Friday, following the killing of Evangelical Christian and conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, where he tackled the growing number of rumors claiming that Israel was behind the killing, calling the rumors “insane." 

In the interview, which discussed a range of topics related to Israel’s war against Hamas, including the United States’ own fight against terror following the Sept. 1, 2001 attacks, host Greta Van Susteren said to Prime Minister Netanyahu, “I want you to address one thing, and it’s just the absurdity of it, some of the internet rumors that somehow Israel is behind the Charlie Kirk murder.” 

“That’s insane, that’s insane,” Netanyahu responded. “Israel also changes the orbit of the moon, Israel pushes the sun,” he continued, mocking the kind of claims heard by some anti-Israel figures. 

“I mean, the whole thing is not only insane, I think it’s so absurd, so stupid,” Netanyahu continued, noting that the authorities had just announced the apprehension of the suspect shortly before the interview, saying, “They’ll get to the bottom of this.” 

He also pointed out the willingness of many who hate Israel to “promote absurd rumors.” 

Jewish actress Roseanne Barr posted to 𝕏, mocking the types of rumors being shared by many anti-Israel accounts online. 

I can’t believe @netanyahu planted a trans lover months ago knowing full well Charlie would one day say something that wasn’t 100% pro Israel right before showing up there. That, or Mossad used Jewish space lasers to see into the future. There is no other logical explanation. https://t.co/B1nfGNXMZP

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) September 13, 2025

“When you hate Jews, when you hate the Jewish State, you’re willing to say anything and promote all these absurd rumors,” he stated, noting that antisemitic rumors have often preceded the killings of Jews throughout history. 

“In the Middle Ages, the horrific Middle Ages, the worst things were said about Jews,” Netanyahu expressed, “we were poisoning wells, we were drinking the blood of Christian children, you name it.” 

The prime minister went on to note that “these things that continued actually up to the Holocaust. The Nazis said the same things.” 

He warned about he effects of such rumors, saying, “People believed it. And every time they believed it, this was the prelude to a greater and greater massacre, culminating with the worst massacre of them all, the Holocaust.” 

In the hours following Kirk’s death, a growing number of online social media accounts, as well as some well-known personalities who often discuss conspiracy theories, began to claim that Israel or the Mossad was behind the killing. 

An example was a post by Ryan Matta, a podcast host with more than 200,000 followers, who blamed Israel’s intelligence agency, writing on 𝕏, “At this point does anyone not thi[nk] Charlie Kirk was assassinated by Mossad?” 

A post last month, by Harrison Smith, who posts to the right-wing Infowars website, claimed that Charlie Kirk had felt threatened by Israel. 

“I’m not gonna name names, but I was told by someone close to Charlie Kirk that Charlie thinks Israel will kill him if he turns against them,” Smith posted on Aug. 13. That post was shared widely following Kirk’s assassination, especially before any information had been officially released about the shooter, now identified as Tyler Robinson, of Utah. 

At the same time, some of the posts appeared to be spread by bots or other accounts dedicated to spreading misinformation about Israel. 

For anyone wondering, Adam is based in Pakistan and part of a Chinese disinformation campaign. pic.twitter.com/gB7Fe9LyJO

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) September 13, 2025

Eyal Yakoby, a Jewish, pro-Israel influencer, noted that some of the accounts spreading the theory that Israel was behind Kirk’s death had previously accused Kirk of being too pro-Israel. 

“The same people who called Charlie Kirk a ‘tool of the Jews,’ are now saying that the Mossad assassinated him,” Yakoby posted to 𝕏. “These are sick people who will exploit a tragedy to pursue their own demonic agenda.” 

The killing of Kirk – an outspoken Christian who often defended Israel against its critics, even while questioning actions or statements by Israeli leaders he disagreed with – highlights the growing issue of political violence in the U.S., particularly around the topic of Israel.

In May, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two employees of the Israeli embassy in D.C., were gunned down by a man who shouted, “Free Palestine” during his arrest. 

In November 2023, Paul Kessler, a Jewish man living in California, died one day after being struck by a protester at a rally in Thousand Oaks. Kessler, who was holding an Israeli flag, had been in an argument with a pro-Palestine protester when he was hit in the face and fell back, hitting his head on the pavement. 

While he was taken conscious to the hospital, he died early the next morning from injuries due to the fall.