Neturei Karta (NK) is a religious advocacy group formed from members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish faith that claims to oppose, “…the establishment of the so-called ‘State of Israel,’ and [retains] all opposition” the state’s existence. NK’s website also claims that Israel is an “illegitimate heretical” regime. ¹ Several spokespeople for the group have appeared in Iranian media ² and at Iranian government functions, including an Iranian government-sponsored 2006 conference that featured individuals who have previously denied the Holocaust. ^{3 4}

NK claims to opposes what it calls “the existence of the State of Israel,” and accused the Zionist movement of being “formed by Jews who defected from Judaism.” The organization also claims that the “solution” to Zionism is to abolish Israel. ⁵

Yisroel Dovid Weiss is an American rabbi and spokesman for NK. During an interview on an Iranian television program in 2005, Weiss claimed the “media is entirely controlled or run by the Zionists,” as well as having “monitors in all media outlets.” Weiss also claimed that “Zionists” “exert pressure on politicians.” ²

Background

Neturei Karta (NK) is a religious advocacy group formed from members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish faith that claims to oppose, “…the establishment of the so-called ‘State of Israel,’ and [retains] all opposition” the state’s existence. NK’s website also claims that Israel is an “illegitimate heretical” regime. ¹

The name Neturei Karta was initially given to a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews within Jerusalem that refused to “recognize the existence and authority of the so-called ‘State of Israel.’” The organization was officially founded in 1938, although NK claims that it is “not an organization in the strict sense,” and that Neturei Karta is a general name given to Jews who “fight against the Zionists.” ¹

Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, NK refused to recognize the new Israeli government and began to publicly protest the new State. According to The Forward, NK “split from the Orthodox umbrella group, Agudat Israel, when the previously anti-Zionist group began to work with the state of Israel.” ⁶ NK claimed it also opposes “the existence of the State of Israel,” and that the Zionist movement was “formed by Jews who defected from Judaism.” The organization also claims that the “solution” to Zionism is to abolish Israel. ⁵

According to a 2023 article on NK by The Forward, “[w]hile most Haredi denominations accept the secular state of Israel, even as they don’t endorse it, Neturei Karta actively works to undermine it and advocate for its dismantling, and have allied themselves with enemies of Israel, including those that have voiced open antisemitism, such as Iran and Hezbollah.” ⁶ The story further alleges that most NK members have residence in Jerusalem. ^{1 6}

Controversies

Statement on Ismail Haniyeh

On August 2, 2024, following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of terrorist organization Hamas, in Tehran, Neturei Karta (NK) issued a statement blaming the “Zionist regime of Israel” for Haniyeh’s death, while claiming “heartfelt condolences are extended to his family, to the Palestinian people, and to every single victim of the cycle of bloodshed in Palestine,” which it claimed was caused by the “very existence of Zionism,” adding that the organization’s “sincere prayer is for the speedy and peaceful end to the criminal occupation.” ⁷

Yisroel Dovid Weiss Statements

Yisroel Dovid Weiss is an American rabbi and spokesman for NK. During an interview on an Iranian television program in 2005, Weiss claimed the “media is entirely controlled or run by the Zionists,” and have “monitors in all media outlets.” Weiss also claimed that Zionists “also exert pressure on politicians.” ²

During the same interview, Weiss claimed that Zionism was founded by “anti-religious people” who hated Judaism and “spied on religious Jews.” He continued by claiming if he were in Iran at the time, he would join in with demonstrations against Israel on Jerusalem Day, an Israeli national holiday that commemorates the unification of East and West Jerusalem. Weiss also claimed that it is “God’s will” to “oppose Zionism or the Israeli government,” adding that “they are satanic,” and “are the ones who should not exist.” ²

Weiss also spoke at an anti-Israel convention in 2005 held in Beirut, Lebanon, at which representatives from Hamas and Hezbollah also spoke. During the convention, Weiss claimed “Jerusalem should be the Palestinian capital.” ⁸

Participation in 2006 Iranian “Review of the Holocaust: Global Vision” Conference

In 2006, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran hosted an international conference titled “Review of the Holocaust: Global Vision,” in which NK spokesperson Yisroel Dovid Weiss was one of several speakers in attendance. ³

According to Reuters, the conference included speakers hosted discussions while debating whether Nazi Germany had used gas chambers to murder European Jews. In addition, the story alleged that those in attendance included “Westerners who have cast doubt on the Holocaust.” ⁴

Iran’s then-foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki claimed the conference was not meant to “deny or confirm the Holocaust,” but to “create an opportunity for thinkers who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust.” ⁴

David Duke, former leader of the American white-supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan, praised the conference, claiming “there must be freedom of speech, it is scandalous that the Holocaust cannot be discussed freely.” ⁴

The U.S. State Department called the conference “disgraceful,” and the only Jewish representative in Iran’s parliament called it a “huge insult.” ⁴

Fourth Global Convention of Solidarity with Palestine

In March 2018, NK Spokesperson Yisroel Dovid Weiss spoke at the Fourth Global Convention of Solidarity with Palestine held in Beirut, Lebanon. During the address, Weiss claimed that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territories was not a “conflict between Jews and Muslims,” while claiming that was a “despicable narrative of the Zionist state.” Weiss continued by claiming Zionism was established by people who “despised” Judaism. ⁹

Prior to delivering his address, Weiss gave Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah Naim Qassem a gift intended for the terrorist organization’s then-chief, Hassan Nasrallah, and claimed the gift was “from the Jewish people, from my brethren in Palestine and around the world.” ^{9 10 11}

Weiss presented his gift after Qassem spoke at the event. During his speech, Qassem stated, “Palestine must be restored to its rightful owners,” and that the only option to “regain Palestine” is through “first and foremost, armed resistance, followed by all other forms of resistance.” He continued by stating Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based political and military organization that the U.S. State Department designated as a terrorist organization in October 1997, “shall not replace resistance by weapons with any other form of resistance” until Israel surrenders. ¹¹

2020 Hamas-Affiliated Interview

NK spokesperson Yisroel Dovid Weiss accepted an interview with Hamas-affiliated news outlet Shehab News Agency in May 2020. During the interview, Weiss claimed that Israel is a “criminal entity” that exploits the suffering of the Jews in the Holocaust to persuade the world it is a victim. Wiess also claimed that Israel telling the world “the Palestinians are like the Nazis,” is “vile and repugnant,” further claiming that Zionists “colluded and worked together with the Nazis.” ¹²

Alleged Support for BDS Movement

While speaking at a 2024 event organized by the Perdana Global Peace Foundation, Yisroel Dovid Weiss responded to a question regarding the Malaysian government’s deal with a company owned by BlackRock, the world’s largest investment management company. Weiss claimed that “people should not be supporting the occupation,” referring to Israel, and that people “should not be supporting companies” that support Israel. ¹³ Weiss’ words allegedly support the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, to delegitimize the State of Israel by isolating the country economically through consumer boycotts, business and government withdrawal of investment, and legal sanctions. ¹⁴

Weiss continued the interview by claiming that Zionists are “simply a criminal entity and therefore what emanates from them is logically wrong and logically you should not support it.” ¹³

1. “About Us.” Neturei Karta. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://nkusa.org/qa/neturei-karta/.
2. “Neturei Karta Spokesman Dovid Weiss on Iranian TV: Zionists Are Satanic.” MEMRI. November 23, 2005. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.memri.org/tv/neturei-karta-spokesman-dovid-weiss-iranian-tv-zionists-are-satanic.
3. “Proceedings of International Conference on Review of the Holocaust : Global Vision, Tehran, 11-12 December 2006.” Accessed October 7, 2024. https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/8215911.
4. “Iran meeting questions Holocaust and gas chambers.” Reuters. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/iran-meeting-questions-holocaust-and-gas-chambers-idUSL11639597/.
5. “Mission Statement.” Neturei Karta. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://nkusa.org/about-us/mission-statement/.
6. Fox, Mira. “What is Neturei Karta, the Orthodox group at all the pro-Palestinian protests?.” November 22, 2023. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://forward.com/culture/570974/neturei-karta-orthodox-jewish-israel-palestine-protests/.
7. “Statement to Condemn the Assassination of late Ismail Haniyeh.” Neturei Karta. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://nkusa.org/statement-to-condemn-the-assassination-of-late-ismail-haniyeh/.
8. “Anti-Zionist Rabbis Join Hizbullah and Hamas At Beirut Pro-Palestinian Convention.” MEMRI. February 24, 2005. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.memri.org/tv/anti-zionist-rabbis-join-hizbullah-and-hamas-beirut-pro-palestinian-convention.
9. “Anti-Zionist rabbi gives Hezbollah chief in Beirut gift ‘from the Jewish people’.” Times of Israel. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.timesofisrael.com/anti-zionist-rabbi-gives-hezbollah-chief-in-beirut-gift-from-the-jewish-people/.
10. “Lebanese Hizballah.” National Counterterrorism Center. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.dni.gov/nctc/ftos/lebanese_hizballah_fto.html.
11. “Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem Receives a “Symbolic Gift from the Jewish People,” Declares: We Will Be Victorious But Are in No Hurry.” MEMRI. March 14, 2018. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.memri.org/tv/hizbullah-deputy-leader-naim-qassem-receives-gift-from-jewish-people-we-will-be-victorious.
12. “Rabbi Dovid Weiss of Neturei Karta to a Hamas-Affiliated Outlet: There can Be No Normalization with the Criminal Zionist Entity; Zionists Use the Ploy of Holocaust Remembrance to Garner Support for Their Narrative.” MEMRI. May 10, 2020. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.memri.org/tv/rabbi-dovid-weiss-neturei-karta-anti-zionist-guilt-people-think-jews-victims-collude-nazis.
13. “Anti-Zionist rabbi calls for continued boycott of companies backing Israel.” MalaysiaNow. July 22, 2024. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2024/07/22/anti-zionist-rabbi-calls-for-continued-boycott-of-companies-backing-israel.
14. “Calling out BDS anti-Semitism.” Canadian Jewish News. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/opinions/calling-bds-anti-semitism/.