Tucker Carlson clashes with Israel's Channel 13 in heated interview over IDF operations, Iran war and US support

Popular conservative commentator Tucker Carlson sharply criticized Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. support for the Jewish state during a combative interview with Israel’s Channel 13 News. that aired this week.

The interview with the former FOX News show host, who has drawn millions of followers, broke from U.S. President Donald Trump over the war with Iran, and has become one of the most outspoken critics of Israel’s government, with some alleging that his commentary reflects longstanding antisemitic narratives.

Carlson, who was once one of Trump's most vocal supporters, said he could no longer back his policies regarding Iran, arguing, “What happened was the war with Iran, which I don't believe serves the interests of the United States,” and adding, “My views did not change. His did.”

During the interview, Carlson said the United States should end military and financial support for Israel, accusing Israel of acting immorally in Gaza in the war against the Hamas terrorist organization. “Israel has definitely lost its morality. There's no question about that,” he said.

Carlson later described Israel as “probably the most violent country in the world” and argued that the IDF's operations in Gaza could not be justified solely as self-defense following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas surprise invasion and brutal attack in southern Israel.

At several points, the Channel 13 interviewer pushed back forcefully, highlighting Hamas’ massacre of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, and Iran’s support for Hamas and Hezbollah. He reminded Carlson that Israel faces unique security threats and questioned Carlson’s comparison between Israel and the Iranian regime.

Carlson responded by insisting that universal moral standards apply equally to all countries: “Killing innocents is never acceptable. Period,” he said. “You can't kill people who did nothing wrong.” When asked whether he believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, Carlson responded by repeatedly condemning Israel’s military and intelligence operations. He argued that the country has publicly highlighted targeted killings of its adversaries, saying that “no country has boasted more about killing its political opponents than Israel.”

“Israel brags about assassinating people. And of course, it does assassinate people. Many countries assassinate people. But Israel makes a public relations campaign out of boasting about killing its opponents.”

Throughout the interview, Carlson referred to the deaths of children in Gaza as a result of the IDF's operations. In a portion of the interview, he said, "Israel has murdered all these children, thousands of children in Gaza...adding, "It's wrong. You can call it genocide or ethnic cleansing"..."A sin, an atrocity.”

Carlson also accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of pressuring Trump into a confrontation with Iran and claimed it is “a war that hurts the United States,” arguing that Washington’s close alliance with Israel was damaging the U.S. internationally and financially.

“There's no reason the United States should be sending any money at all to Israel,” Carlson stated, adding his opinion that the U.S. should halt “all aid to Israel, all special deals for Israel tomorrow.”

The interview also shifted toward accusations of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias after the interviewer questioned Carlson’s references to Netanyahu’s influence and claims about powerful actors operating behind the scenes and Israel’s influence on American institutions.

Carlson rejected the accusation. “Israel does not represent all Jews,” he said. “I am totally opposed to attacking people on the basis of their ethnicity. That's why I'm disgusted by the way that Israel treats Arabs like animals or subhumans. I oppose that; that is immoral. I oppose attacks on Jews as Jews. That is disgusting. It is immoral.”

At the conclusion of the interview, Carlson stated, “Israel is not a democracy. The United States, apparently, is not a democracy either. Our government keeps doing things that people don't want. So that's not democracy.”

Carlson’s remarks come amid mounting criticism from pro-Israel Evangelical leaders and officials over what they describe as increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Israel and Jews. The tensions have been building for months, particularly after Carlson’s highly publicized interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in February, which exposed deep divisions inside the American conservative movement over Israel, Christian Zionism, and U.S. foreign policy.

ALL ISRAEL NEWS Editor-in-Chief Joel Rosenberg described Huckabee’s performance as a “masterclass in public diplomacy.” Rosenberg also pointed to Huckabee’s rebuttal of Carlson’s claims that Christians are mistreated in Israel.

In addition, Carlson has escalated his criticism of Donald Trump in broader commentary, while also drawing attention for remarks related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. In those comments, he suggested without evidence that Epstein may have been connected to foreign intelligence services, saying Epstein was likely working for agencies “probably not American,” and adding, “Now, no one's allowed to say that that foreign government is Israel.”

The comments sparked renewed controversy given the lack of substantiated evidence connecting Epstein to any foreign government or intelligence operation.

Carlson’s increasingly confrontational rhetoric toward Israel has also fueled criticism from Jewish watchdog groups. In December, the U.S. nonprofit advocacy group StopAntisemitism included Carlson on its “Antisemite of the Year” nominee list, citing what it described as repeated promotion of antisemitic narratives and conspiracy theories.

Watch Tucker Carlson's recent interview with Israel's Channel 13 News here.