Bono likened the minister to Himmler, while Ben-Gvir described the musician as a terrorist.
U2 FRONTMAN BONO and an Israeli minister are in a heated debate after the musician likened the politician to Hitler’s right-hand man, Heinrich Himmler.
In an interview in the magazine Rolling Stone, Bono was asked about U2′s new song, The Tears of Things, which was described as an “elliptical take” on the history of Gaza.
Among other comments, the musician likened Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, to Himmler, leader of the SS, and the architect of the “final solution”, the plan to eliminate all Jewish people from Europe.
Ben-Gvir has since hit back, posting on X that “there is no limit to the hypocrisy of the world’s supporters of terrorism”.
In June, the Taoiseach banned Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering Ireland, after a video showed Ben-Gvir mocking bound activists who had been detained by Israeli forces on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
France also announced it had banned Ben-Gvir from entering the country.
The wide-ranging Rolling Stone interview, ahead of the release of U2′s new album later this year, touches on the new single, The Tears of Things, which in Bono’s words, is an “attempt to try and grasp what’s going on in a world where we never needed the moral force of Judaism more than now”.
In the interview, Bono condemns the 7 October attacks, calling it “an unholy offence”, but also criticises the words of Ben-Gvir, comparing his words, where he says “there are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people” to Himmler.
Bono says: “But here’s a guy, a minister in the government, and he’s not being locked up… so many of the people that have expanded my mind, changed my consciousness, made me laugh, broken my heart with their songs, lifted my spirits, are Jewish.
“And this guy’s putting their religion in the shade… It’s just outrageous.”
Bono has previously spoken out against the 7 October terror attack by Hamas on Israel, having come under fire previously for not speaking out against it.
Last August, he condemned Hamas’ attack, while also reiterating that he believes in Israel’s “right to exist” and a two-state solution.
Bono’s comments catalysed a fierce rebuke from Ben-Gvir, who wrote in a post on X “we are done shaping Israel’s security policy to win the approval of hypocritical supporters of terrorism”.
Itamar Ben Gvir’s X post.
“Bono did not compare the Hamas murderers to Himmler – only those who defend the Jews from the next massacre,” the post continued.
“I have news for him: the Jews are done apologizing for their right to live. We can do without your sympathy for dead Jews; we prefer to remain alive and face your criticism.
“If you truly care about the residents of Gaza, help them leave for Ireland. They are begging to emigrate from Gaza. They will have a wonderful future in Ireland.”
Ben-Gvir also added that “my only concern is saving Jewish lives… The State of Israel will not apologize for its right to defend the lives of its citizens.”
