Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed what he said was a “disgusting rumor” that Israel had something to do with the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, during a question-and-answer session on campus. Two days later, authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and charged him on Tuesday with aggravated murder.
Why It Matters
Israel’s devastating attack on Gaza, which has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, including over 18,000 children, is exposing deep ideological fissures on the American right.
Populist MAGA figures who once offered reflexive support for Israel are now breaking ranks, challenging Republican orthodoxy and questioning why the U.S. continues to provide “blank checks” for a foreign war.
Since Kirk’s death, there has been a debate in conservative circles about his relationship with and stance toward Israel’s leaders.
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What To Know
While conservatives and liberals in America debate the motive behind the suspected shooter’s action, Netanyahu, in a video statement posted on X, said there has also been a rumor that Israel was involved.
“Somebody has fabricated a monstrous big lie, that Israel had something to do with Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder,” Netanyahu said. “This is insane, it is false, it is outrageous.”
“Charlie Kirk was a giant, a once-in-a-century talent who defended freedom, defended America, defended our common Judeo-Christian civilization. Charlie loved Israel, he loved the Jewish people, he told me so in a letter that he sent me just a few months ago.”
Netanyahu said Kirk had encouraged him to make the case directly to the U.S. people about how vital Israel was for U.S. national security and he cited Kirk as saying: “It pains me to see support for Israel slip away.”
Netanyahu did not refer to the debate in U.S. conservative circles about support for Israel, but acknowledged Kirk had at times disagreed with him.
“Now if Charlie disagreed with a policy of mine or a decision, here and there, not only did I not mind, I welcomed it. This is the essence of Charlie…and I knew that his suggestions always came from the heart.”
Conservative broadcaster Tucker Carlson, has been among those discussing Kirk’s relationship with Israel and its leaders.
Carlson said on his show this week, Kirk “didn’t hate Jews, he loved Jews…he loved the state of Israel, he loved going there, he did not like Bibi Netanyahu, he said that to me many times,” statements which other conservatives like Candace Owens and Matt Gaetz, have backed up.
Carlson said that Kirk felt Netanyahu was a “destructive force, he was appalled by what was happening in Gaza, he was above all resentful that he believed Netanyahu was using the United States to prosecute his wars for the benefit of his country.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has also been critical of Netanyahu and has called for people to speak out about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and halt military aid to Israel. In July, she became the first Republican lawmaker to refer to the Israeli action in Gaza as “genocide.”
What People Are Saying
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X: “Now some are peddling these disgusting rumors, perhaps out of obsession, perhaps with Qatari funding. What I do know is this: Charlie Kirk was a great man and a great man deserves honor, not lies.”
Georgia GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said on X earlier on Tuesday: “Do not allow a foreign country, foreign agents, and another religion tell you about Charlie Kirk.”
What Happens Next
Kirk’s suspected killer, Robinson, has not yet entered a plea and is being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 29.
A memorial service for Kirk will take place on Sunday, September 21, in Arizona. President Donald Trump and other top Republicans are expected to attend.
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