Nikki Haley is facing criticism after writing “Finish them…” on an Israeli artillery shell during a recent visit to Israel.
Reuters reports the politician not only wrote the controversial message but allowed an Israeli politician to post the receipts on social media.
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Nikki Haley’s Controversial Message
Former United Nations ambassador Danny Danon took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the viral image. In the photo, Haley, 52, squats in front of artillery shells. Haley used a marker to write, “Finish them – America HEART Israel, Always.”
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See the now-viral images below.
Finish them!
זה מה שכתבה היום חברתי, השגרירה לשעבר, ניקי היילי על פגז במהלך ביקור במוצב של תותחנים בגבול הצפון.
הגיע הזמן לשינוי משוואה – תושבי צור וצידון יתפנו, תושבי הצפון יחזרו.
צה"ל יכול לנצח! pic.twitter.com/qvLNCXPl7o
— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) May 28, 2024
In an earlier tweet, Danon shared that he visited “the sites of the massacres in Israel’s South” with Haley. He stated that Haley “spoke of the strong support of the American people to continue fighting until Hamas is completely eliminated…”
Today I visited the sites of the massacres in Israel's South together with Ambassador @NikkiHaley.
She spoke of the strong support of the American people to continue fighting until Hamas is completely eliminated and all the hostages are returned.
Watch>> pic.twitter.com/YDfjylZiDL— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) May 27, 2024
Furthermore, Danon posted a video with Haley stating, “What I tell all Israelis: America is with you. Americans are with you — 1,200 people were brutally murdered. Let’s not forget what happened on Oct. 7.” She added, “Because Hamas has said they’re going to do it again. We owe it to make sure it never happens again.”
נדמה כי לא הייתה לנו חברה טובה בעולם כמוה: ניקי היילי, שגרירת ארה"ב לשעבר באו"ם ומי שהתמודדה מול טראמפ על רשות המפלגה הרפובליקנית והמועמדות מטעמה לנשיאות ארה"ב בדברים שצריכים להישמע בכל העולם: "העיניים של העולם כולו צריכות להיות מופנות לצפון שמותקפת מלבנון בכל יום. 60K פונו… pic.twitter.com/M6GVoYqSV9
— יאיר קראוס (@yair_kraus) May 28, 2024
Nikki Haley Seemingly Responds To Backlash
On Wednesday, May 29, Haley seemingly reacted to all the backlash. She posted on X:
“Israel did not start this war — Hamas did. Families in southern Israel woke on October 7, as 3,000 Hamas fighters brutalized Israelis.” She added, “Thousands of Palestinian civilians followed, joining in the destruction, looting, and violence.”
“Israel must do whatever is necessary to protect her people from evil,” she stated. Haley reminded Americans to never forget that when Hamas chanted “Death to Isreal,” they also repeated, “Death to America,” Nikki wrote. “Israel is fighting America’s enemies,” she contended.
Israel did not start this war — Hamas did. Families in southern Israel woke on October 7, as 3,000 Hamas fighters brutalized Israelis. Thousands of Palestinian civilians followed joining in the destruction, looting, and violence.
On a Jewish day of prayer, savages burned their… pic.twitter.com/71sJ3aixbh
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) May 29, 2024
Former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth openly criticized Haley. He took to Twitter to share his thoughts, stating, “Why not just sign I favor Israeli war crimes.”
Additionally, human rights group Amnesty International released a statement stating, “Conflict is no place for stunts. Conflict has rules. Civilians must be protected,”
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley signed Israeli artillery shells with the message "Finish Them!" Conflict is no place for stunts. Conflict has rules. Civilians must be protected. pic.twitter.com/HtLShHWaKi
— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) May 29, 2024
Background Details: The Ongoing Israel-Hamas War
The Israel-Hamas war has been a point of contention for American lawmakers. President Joe Biden’s open support of Israel has sparked protests on college campuses across the country.
The destruction in Palestine is devastating. The death toll is over 36,000, the local Palestinian health ministry reports, per Reuters. Additionally, almost its entire 2.3 million population has been displaced.
Last week, Israel was ordered by the World Court to stop attacking Rafah. The emergency ruling came after South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide. Their stance was favored in the landmark decision. However, Israel denies the allegations.
They claim they are acting in self-defense. Hamas attacked Israel on Oct.7 and reportedly killed about 1,200 people during the assault, and took 250 hostages.
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In the last 24 hours, Israeli shelling and airstrikes killed at least 37 people, per the Associated Press. Most of them were sheltering in tents outside the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Five days earlier, strikes triggered a deadly fire in that same area where displaced Palestinians had been residing.
The tent camp inferno has drawn widespread international outrage, including from some of Israel’s closest allies, over the military’s expanding offensive into Rafah. And in a sign of Israel’s growing isolation on the world stage, Spain, Norway, and Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state on Tuesday.
Israel’s assault on Rafah, launched May 6, spurred more than 1 million people to flee the city, the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees said Tuesday. Most were already displaced multiple times in the nearly eight-month war between Israel and Hamas. Families are now scattered across makeshift tent camps and other war-ravaged areas.
See a detailed report about the recent happenings in Rafah HERE.
Associated Press staff Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa contributed to this report.
