By Tal Shalev, by CNN
The timing of the US and Israeli attack on Iran bears symbolic meaning in Judaism, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referenced the upcoming holiday of Purim in his first statement.
“Twenty five hundred years ago, in ancient Persia, a tyrant rose against us with the very same goal, to utterly destroy our people,” Netanyahu said of the story, which takes place in what is now Iran. “Today as well, on Purim, the lot has fallen, and in the end this evil regime will fall too.”
Netanyahu frequently references religious events or symbols in his statements.
Ahead of the upcoming Jewish holiday , worshippers read a specific portion from the Old Testament, known as Zachor.
The passage from the book of Deuteronomy commands the ancient Israelites to remember an unprovoked attack by the nation of Amalek, located in modern-day Sinai and southern Israel, and to eradicate the memory of Amalek once the Israelites are settled in their land.
The passage is read publicly before Purim to fulfil what Jews consider the mitzvah – or commandment – of remembering Amalek as Israel’s achetypical enemy. Amalek is often referenced as an historical enemy of the Jewish people, and Netanyahu invoked it shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
*Tal Shalev is a Senior Reporter based in CNN’s Jerusalem bureau, where she performs a key role in CNN’s coverage of Israel and the wider region, with a particular focus on Israeli politics and national affairs
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