Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly dismissed rumors linking Israel to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah last week. In a video statement, Netanyahu described the allegation as a “monstrous big lie” and praised Kirk as a committed supporter of Israel.“Charlie Kirk was a great man. He deserves honor, not lies,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.

Quoting German Nazi politician Joseph Goebbels, Netanyahu said: “The bigger the lie, the faster it will spread. Well, somebody has fabricated a monstrous big lie that Israel had something to do with Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder. This is insane. It is false. It is outrageous.”The prime minister paid tribute to Kirk as “a once-in-a-century talent who defended freedom, defended America and defended our common Judeo-Christian civilization.” He added that Kirk “loved Israel and the Jewish people,” citing a recent letter from Kirk in which he described his joy in advocating for Israel and urging Netanyahu to highlight Israel’s importance to US national security.“The Holy Land is so important to my life, it pains me to see support for Israel slip away,” Netanyahu recalled Kirk’s words. Netanyahu noted that Kirk occasionally disagreed with Israeli policies, but said he always valued those exchanges. “This is the essence of Charlie. This is the essence of a free country. It’s exactly what Charlie stood for. And I knew that his suggestions always came from the heart, from his love for Israel and from his love for the Jewish people,” he said.The prime minister recalled inviting Kirk to visit Israel again only weeks before his death. “Sadly, that won’t happen,” he said. “Now some are spreading 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. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk. May your memory be a blessing.”