Tucker Carlson Takes on Netanyahu

In a recent video, Tucker Carlson labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an "enemy of Western civilization." He argued that Netanyahu's ideology, which he claims judges people by their birth group rather than individual character, is a form of tribalism akin to the thinking of the Nazis. Carlson has also questioned the ancestral connection of some Israeli Jews to the land, including Netanyahu, whose family comes from Poland. This line of questioning alludes to the "Khazar theory," a discredited belief that Ashkenazi Jews are descended from a Turkic people who converted to Judaism, a theory now popular in some antisemitic circles. The commentator has accused Netanyahu of believing in "blood guilt" and claimed the Israeli government targeted his own family as a result. These remarks came during a broader critique in which Carlson portrayed Israel as controlling U.S. policy and dragging America into its conflicts. These criticisms are set against a backdrop of escalating regional conflict, including a 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025 and subsequent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026. The ongoing crisis involves multiple fronts, including conflicts with Iran-backed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Carlson's statements have drawn sharp condemnation, with critics accusing him of promoting antisemitic tropes. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called him a "phony," and the Anti-Defamation League stated Carlson has a long history of peddling antisemitic conspiracy theories. The commentary highlights a growing schism on the American right regarding its traditional support for Israel. The divide is visible in the public dispute between Carlson and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who represents a more traditional pro-Israel Christian Zionist viewpoint.