ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, January 9 — Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested the United States should “kidnap” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him the “worst criminal of humanity” for Israel’s actions in Gaza. The inflammatory remarks, made in a television interview, mark a sharp escalation in rhetoric from a senior official of a nuclear-armed state.
What did the Pakistani minister say?
In an interview with a Pakistani news channel, Khawaja Asif condemned the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. “He is the biggest criminal of humanity. The world has not seen a bigger criminal,” Asif said of Netanyahu. The minister stated that the U.S. should kidnap the Israeli leader, adding that even Turkey could do it and that Pakistanis were “praying for it.” He made no mention of the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel that precipitated the war.
Why does this statement matter now?
The comments come amid sustained global criticism of Israel’s Gaza offensive and a deepening humanitarian crisis. However, a direct call for the abduction of a sitting allied head of state by a cabinet minister is exceptionally rare. Analysts point out that Asif subtly cited the recent U.S.-led abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as a model for his proposal about Netanyahu.
What has been the immediate reaction?
There has been no immediate official reaction from the Israeli or U.S. governments. Historically, such statements from Pakistani officials have drawn swift diplomatic rebukes. The comments are likely to further strain Pakistan’s already limited and unofficial ties with Israel and complicate its diplomatic engagements with Western allies. The minister’s remarks represent the most extreme end of official Pakistani commentary on the war.
What is the broader context?
Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has openly criticized its military actions. Defence Minister Asif’s suggestion, while not official policy, highlights strong domestic political pressure on the government to support the Palestinian cause. The comparison to Venezuela’s Maduro suggests an attempt to label Netanyahu’s actions as unlawful and needing outside intervention—a view that Israel and its allies firmly reject and strongly dispute in public forums today.
