Speaking in broken Hebrew, Hamami Lalehzar said: “We are Jews who believe in our holy Torah. We do not approve of the government of Israel in any way. We seek peace for the whole world, for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.” His comments were met with applause from the studio audience.
In an interview with Iran’s Channel 3, Hamami Lalehzar criticized Zionism, condemning “the Zionists and the Israeli government for committing war crimes and killing innocent people in Gaza and Lebanon.” Iranian television framed his statements as an endorsement of “true Judaism” and a rejection of Zionism as a deviation from Jewish teachings.
“He stressed that the crimes of the Zionist regime contradict the religious principles of Judaism,” the broadcast said.
The remarks aired on one of Iran’s most popular talk shows, where participants discuss various topics from diverse perspectives. During the interview, Hamami Lalehzar claimed that “Judaism follows the teachings of Moses, the prophet of God, and fundamentally opposes arrogance and oppression.”
He also cited Jewish law, asserting that “even in times of war, Judaism mandates the protection of civilians” and noted that Jewish tradition prohibits the destruction of fruit-bearing trees during a siege. “While Zionism emerged from the Jewish community, it is political and not a true representation of Judaism,” he said.
Hamami Lalehzar concluded his remarks by equating Zionism with ISIS, saying, “Zionists do not represent Judaism, just as ISIS does not represent Islam.”
