Israel’s Chief Rabbi says Palestinians are not a people and have no rights

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Israel’s Chief Rabbi, David Yosef, made inflammatory remarks about Palestinians during an address at the Gush Katif Museum in West Jerusalem. According to the outlet, he denied that Palestinians are a people and said they have no rights, language that has drawn attention because of its direct challenge to Palestinian national identity and rights claims.

The remarks also included assertions about Gaza and parts of the occupied West Bank. Al Jazeera said Yosef spoke in support of Jewish claims to Gaza and other areas, and called for Gaza’s destruction and Jewish settlement there. The article presents the comments as part of a public address rather than a private conversation, which adds to their significance.

The timing of the report was August 22, 2026. The location, West Jerusalem, is relevant because the speech came at a museum associated with the former Gush Katif settlement bloc, a site that can carry political symbolism in debates over Gaza and Israeli settlement policy.

More broadly, the episode matters because statements by senior religious figures can influence public debate in Israel and beyond, especially amid ongoing conflict and disputes over Palestinian statehood, occupation and settlement. This digest reflects Al Jazeera’s reporting and does not independently verify the claims made in the speech.