Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an extraordinary address denying any involvement in Charlie Kirk's assassination.
According to the Daily Mail, a conspiracy theory fueled by right-wing provocateurs has swept social media, claiming Kirk was targeted for his souring views of the Israeli government.
Netanyahu described the baseless rumor as a "monstrous big lie" as he likened it to Nazi propaganda in a video shared on X. "Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, said that the bigger the lie, the faster it will spread," Netanyahu said in the video.
The Israeli leader emphatically rejected any connection between Israel and Kirk's death, calling the allegations "insane," "false," and "outrageous." In his address, Netanyahu praised Kirk as "a giant, a once-in-a-century talent who defended freedom, defended America, defended our common Judeo-Christian civilization."
Netanyahu further emphasized Kirk's support for Israel, stating: "Charlie loved Israel, he loved the Jewish people, he told me so in a letter that he sent me just a few months ago."
The prime minister revealed that Kirk had encouraged him to make Israel's case directly to the American people about its importance to U.S. national security.
MAGA commentators have claimed Kirk was growing increasingly critical of Netanyahu privately, while still publicly supporting Israel.
On his show this week, Tucker Carlson claimed that Kirk "did not like Bibi Netanyahu," describing him as a "destructive force" and saying he was "appalled" by the events unfolding in Gaza.
In his video statement, Netanyahu acknowledged that Kirk may have disagreed with some of his policies or decisions, but insisted he welcomed such feedback. "This is the essence of Charlie. This is the essence of a free country. It's exactly what Charlie stood for," he said.
The conspiracy theory gained traction following reports of a meeting in early August where Kirk allegedly met with prominent Jewish billionaire Bill Ackman in the Hamptons. Provocateur Candace Owens claimed on her podcast that Ackman confronted Kirk about his falling support for Israel and added that Kirk had "declined" to visit Israel.
However, multiple conservative influencers who attended the event told the Daily Mail they did not witness any tense moments between the pair, adding that the summit was mainly focused on other issues, not Israel.
Ackman himself denied Owens's claims in a post on X, stating: "For the record, at no time have I ever threatened Charlie Kirk, Turning Point or anyone associated with him."
The Israeli PM suggested Qatar was somehow involved in circulating the conspiracy theory. "Now, some are peddling these disgusting rumors, perhaps out of obsession, perhaps with Qatari funding," Netanyahu claimed in his video address.
This is not the first time Netanyahu has dismissed these rumors. He had already rejected "insane" and "absurd" online rumors blaming Israel for Kirk's death in an interview with Newsmax shortly after the shooting. In that interview, he stated: "They have no limits. When you hate Jews, when you hate the Jewish state, you're willing to say anything and promote all these absurd rumors."
Kirk was killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. The conspiracy theories linking Israel to his death began circulating less than an hour after the shooting occurred.