Israel on Friday strongly criticised the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navi Pillay, saying the decision legitimised “anti-Israel hatred” and claiming Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels must be “applauding from hell.”
Pillay, 85, headed the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a body that does not speak on behalf of the United Nations. Last year the commission concluded that Israel was committing “genocide” in Gaza — a finding Israel has rejected as biased and false.
“Now that the Nobel commission has rewarded the biggest lie of the 21st century, Joseph Goebbels is certainly applauding from hell,” the Israeli foreign ministry posted on X.
In a further statement, the ministry said that if there were an award “for lies, hatred and blood libels,” Pillay “wouldn’t just be a contender. She’d be a frontrunner.”
“Her role in the relentless, politically motivated demonization of Israel and promotion of the genoLIE speaks volumes,” it added. “Awarding Pillay the Nobel Peace Prize isn’t a recognition of justice. It’s the grotesque weaponization of an award to legitimize anti-Israel hatred and prejudice.”
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the prize recognised Pillay’s efforts to promote peace and international law. It stressed that the award was not a judicial ruling on the allegations against Israel and that the committee was not taking a position on whether Israel’s military operations in Gaza amounted to genocide.
Pillay received the news while attending the Nuremberg Forum in Germany, a gathering focused on international law held in the city that hosted the post-World War II trials of Nazi leaders.
