'Churchill was a war criminal,' Islamic leader says in Israel-Gaza war debate

Islamic leader Mohammed Hijab made a number of false antisemitic and anti-Zionist claims in a televised debate with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on the topic of Israel's war in Gaza, hosted by Piers Morgan.

Hijab made a number of offensive claims including that the IDF was a terrorist organization according to the United Nations definition, that Israel has killed Palestinian children out of political motivations, and that former UK prime minister Winston Churchill was a war criminal for his response to Nazi Germany during World War II. 

Hijab, who interrupted both Morgan and Boteach repeatedly throughout the interview, did condemn Hamas in the interview for killing civilians. However, he continued to raise the issue of the “100-to-one” ratio of Palestinians killed compared to Hamas terrorists, failing to address the rabbi’s point of Hamas’s use of human shields or Morgan’s point on civilian casualties occurring in every war. The ratio reference by Hijab was based on statistics provided by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry which cannot be independently verified.

“What is the definition of genocide?” The rabbi asked Hijab, before explaining the definition to him and telling him of the Arab-Israeli citizens of Israel living with equal protections and rights under the law. 

In response, Hijab answered, “was the Holocaust a genocide?” His point was not expanded upon at the time and it was not clear why he mentioned the Holocaust.

While acknowledging that Israel does have a right to defend itself, and failing to acknowledge how the Hamas terrorist group has embedded itself within the Palestinian population, Hijab explained “I have been advocating all along for face-to-face confrontation.” 

“Hamas is hiding under hospitals,” Rabbi Shmuley stressed. “Hamas is shooting civilians going south.”

Morgan proceeded to prompt his guests with the question “Has Israel gone too far in its response to the October 7 terror attacks?”

Boteach responded to the question by comparing Israel’s current situation to that of “the greatest British statesman” Winston Churchill. The rabbi explained that in response to the threat of the Nazis, Britain carpet-bombed Germany and Israel has not responded to Hamas to nearly the same extent. He went on to list the measures that Israel has taken to prevent Palestinian casualties, and how Hamas has continued to put Palestinians in harm's way. 

In response to the explanation, Hijab continued to discuss the “100-1 ratio.” He explained that under those statistics, 3 million Palestinians would be killed in order to kill 30,000 Hamas terrorists. 

Hijab: Israeli President Herzog 'more slippery than lubes in daughter's sex shops'

Hijab went on to quote President Isaac Herzog, claiming that he held all Palestinians responsible for the actions of Hamas. 

“He [Herzog] is being more slippery than the lubricants that he sells in his daughter’s sex shop,” Hijab said. Rabbi Shmuley interrupted the statement with laughter, telling Hijab to “get his head out of the Jewish bedroom” while accusing him of being obsessed with the sexual activities of Jews. 

Herzog only has three sons, none of whom own a sex shop. “They sell dildos there,” Hijab repeated as he was admonished for his comments. “Why are you shaking?” Hijab goaded the rabbi. "Have you got one of your daughter’s vibrators in your pocket?”

Morgan asked Hijab to “cut all this stuff out” before proceeding to his next question. While asking Hijab the question, which referred back to the comments made by Rabbi Shmuley on Churchill, Hijab interrupted “Churchill was wrong.”

“Churchill was a war criminal,” Hijab insisted. “All of them are war criminals,” he said, although it is unclear if the comment was made in regard to the British people or King George VI.

“You think Winston Churchhill, in standing up to the Nazis and killing 12,000,000 people, was a war criminal?” Morgan asked. 

Hijab confirmed that was his belief because the battle against the Nazis involved “indiscriminate killing.”“Tell me a  war in history where civilians haven’t been killed,” Morgan challenged Hijab. Hijab's response returned to the topic of the aforementioned ratio. Hearing this, Morgan asked, “how many people did the Nazis kill?

“I don’t know,” admits Hijab. “We know they killed 6 million Jews…”

Morgan then informed Hijab that they killed 12 million people and accused Hijab of not knowing what he was talking about.