'I warned Macron Hamas would reach Paris': Netanyahu blasts French president over riots in i24NEWS interview
"If we don't eliminate Hamas here, you'll have them in Paris. And that's exactly what's happening," Netanyahu told Macron on October 7
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined i24NEWS in the studio to discuss his campaign in the lead up to the election.
Netanyahu took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, saying that it was "heartbreaking" to see the riots throughout the country: "They didn't prepare, and they simply gave up. They surrendered to the invasion of radical Islam."
Although He said it was not surprising because on October 7, Macron called him to tell him that France was working on a diplomatic solution.
Netanyahu balked, saying, "'Emmanuel, that's not going to happen. What you have here is ISIS. Hamas is ISIS, and in some ways, even worse. And if we don't eliminate them here, you'll have them in Paris.' And that's exactly what's happening."
He spoke about many of the challenges facing Israel as it heads to the polls. In particular, he discussed Iran's use of proxy organizations to target and slander Israel online.
He said that, according to information received by the Mossad, Iran is likely to use one of its proxies to disrupt the elections.
Netanyahu refused to comment on reports that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had arrived in Israel the previous day.
"I didn't say there was such a visit, and I don't discuss visits, I'm not saying that," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu reiterated his view that the only way to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon was to topple the regime. "That's the directive I gave to the Mossad and the IDF," he said.
He said that the fall of the Iranian regime would precipitate the fall of Hezbollah and Hamas "because neither of them will survive once this regime falls."
Netanyahu defended Trump's intervention in Israeli politics, saying, "At least he's saying it honestly! What did Obama, Clinton, Biden do?"
He attacked his political opponents for lacking the ability to protect the country, saying, "Gadi Eisenkot, who says we need to learn to live with a nuclear Iran?"
Netanyahu finally said that any opposition government would require Arab political support to survive, which would prevent it from addressing the issues facing the country.