- Navi Pillay awarded 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for human rights.
- Israel strongly criticised award, citing Pillay’s anti-Israel sentiment.
Israel has strongly criticised Navi Pillay after she won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, accusing her of promoting anti-Israel sentiment and describing the award as a move to legitimise what it called anti-Israel hatred and prejudice.
In a sharp reaction, Israel said that if there were an award for “lies, hatred, and blood libels”, Pillay would be a frontrunner.
“Her role in the relentless, politically motivated demonization of Israel and promotion of the genocide speaks volumes,” the statement said.
‘Weaponisation Of An Award’: Israel Targets Nobel Committee
Criticising the decision to honour Pillay, Israel said the Nobel Peace Prize was not a recognition of justice but a “grotesque weaponization of an award” to legitimise anti-Israel hatred and prejudice.
If there were an award for lies, hatred, and blood libels, Navi Pillay wouldn’t just be a contender. She’d be a frontrunner. Her role in the relentless, politically motivated demonization of Israel and promotion of the genoLIE speaks volumes. Awarding Pillay the Nobel Peace Prize isn’t a recognition of justice. It’s the grotesque weaponization of an award to legitimize anti-Israel hatred and prejudice. Now that the Nobel commission has rewarded the biggest lie of the 21st century, Joseph Goebbels is certainly applauding from hell.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 9, 2026
The statement also invoked Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, saying he would be “applauding from hell” after the Nobel committee had, in Israel’s words, rewarded “the biggest lie of the 21st century”.
Pillay, a South African jurist and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law, according to the Nobel Committee.
Who Is Navi Pillay?
Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, a South African jurist of Tamil origin and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
Announcing the award on Friday, October 9, the Norwegian Nobel Committee recognised Pillay’s decades-long work in defending human rights, strengthening international justice and advancing accountability for serious crimes.
Her career has taken her from representing anti-apartheid activists in South Africa to serving in prominent judicial and human rights institutions around the world.
