Israel denounces Nobel Peace Prize for Navi Pillay; Trump reposts criticism
In short
Israel condemned the Nobel Peace Prize awarded Friday to jurist Navi Pillay, who led a UN-backed commission that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza. President Donald Trump reposted a law firm's statement criticizing the choice, the New York Post reported.
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Israel denounced the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Navi Pillay, a South African-born jurist and former UN human rights chief. Pillay won Friday for her efforts to promote peace and international law, Associated Press and Fox News reported. She is currently an ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice, according to AP. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
Israel's Foreign Ministry said the award legitimized anti-Israel hatred and prejudice. It invoked Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels in its criticism, according to the New York Post and The Seattle Times. Israel denies the genocide findings of the UN-backed commission that Pillay led. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
The commission concluded in September 2025 that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Fox News reported that it also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of inciting genocide. Israel dismissed the findings as distorted and false, the outlet reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
President Donald Trump reposted a statement from the Schoen Law Firm attacking the Nobel committee's choice, the New York Post reported. The statement accused Pillay of hostility toward America and Israel and disputed her commission's investigation. The outlet said Trump had not yet commented on the selection in his own words. [ 2 ]
The Nobel committee argued that international judicial institutions must be able to enforce the rule of law to help mediate wars and conflicts, Fox News reported. It also noted increasing political attacks on judges and international law. AP described Pillay's earlier work campaigning against apartheid and for Nelson Mandela's release, and her later role in sentencing people convicted of involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. [ 1 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The Nobel committee said strong international judicial institutions needed to enforce the rule of law amid wars and political attacks on judges. Israel denied the commission's genocide findings and said the award legitimized anti-Israel prejudice.
Key facts
- Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to promote peace and international law. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Israel's Foreign Ministry denounced the award. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Pillay chaired a commission that concluded in September 2025 that Israel committed genocide in Gaza. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Trump reposted a Schoen Law Firm statement criticizing the selection and had not yet commented in his own words, the New York Post reported. [ 2 ]