Chief Rabbi of France calls for Israel to 'finish the job' in Gaza

Haim Korsia, chief Rabbi of France, made a series of statements during a French television interview regarding the conflict in Gaza.

Korsia characterised the violence in Gaza as an "act of war" that he attributes to Hamas, blaming the group for the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza and claiming falsely that it has refused to accept a ceasefire proposal. 

It has been widely documented that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has steadfastly refused any ceasefire with Hamas. 

When Korsia was asked about participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, Korsia linked the ongoing conflict to Hamas's actions, saying that Israel's military response is justified and that he does not feel uncomfortable with Israel's defence policy.

During the interview, when the journalist pressed Korsia about the civilian casualties in Gaza and the overall situation, Korsia maintained that the actions of Israel were necessary for defending its citizens and did not equate the casualties on both sides.

He said that despite the high death toll in Gaza, he believes that many countries, including Arab nations, would prefer if Israel "finished the job".