Piers Morgan. Photo: Twitter.

Television personality Piers Morgan took to Twitter on Thursday to defend himself against charges of anti-Semitism after he savaged the Jewish state for “deliberately” targeting civilians in its current military operation in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday morning Morgan wrote, “Israel’s making a massive mistake with this monstrous child-slaughtering military strategy. Someone needs to rein @netanyahu in… fast.” Minutes later he added, “You deliberately shell a UN facility full of women & children – you lose any moral high ground. Enough, Mr @netanyahu ….ENOUGH.”

Breitbart columnist Ben Shapiro responded on the micro-blogging site charging Morgan with anti-Semitism.

Shapiro wrote, “You have to be intelligent, @PiersMorgan, before you can be patronizing. I hope your forced retirement is going swimmingly.” He added, “Blaming Israel for defending her citizens is anti-Semitic. That’s what you’re doing.”

Taking offense to the charge Morgan responded, “Bulls***, you silly boy.” He also tweeted approval of a follower who claimed, “wanting Israel to stop this massacre is not antisemitic, it’s humanitarian.”