politics
Benjamin Netanyahu describes UK as ‘first Islamic republic to get a nuclear weapon’
Israeli PM criticised by political rival for attacking an international ally and overseeing ‘horrific diplomatic failure’
TL;DR
- Benjamin Netanyahu called the UK the "Islamic republic of Britain" and suggested it might be the first to acquire nuclear weapons.
- These comments were made during an interview for Israel’s army radio.
- The remarks play into far-right Islamophobic tropes and have drawn criticism from the Israeli opposition.
- The British Foreign Office stated the comments are "completely unacceptable" and have been raised with the Israeli government.
- Similar remarks were made by US Vice-President JD Vance during the 2024 presidential campaign.
- The comments highlight strained relations between the UK and Israel, particularly under the current UK leadership.
- Netanyahu's government is described as the most far-right in Israel's history and has faced global isolation.