Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a pointy rebuke in opposition to the UK, calling it the “Islamic republic of Britain” and describing it as a possible “first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons” in a podcast interview.Netanyahu made the feedback throughout a podcast interview for Israel’s Military Radio, whereas discussing what he sees as a shift in British attitudes in direction of Israel. He praised the constructive protection Israel acquired from journalist Randolph Churchill, the son of former British prime minister Winston Churchill, greater than half a century in the past, earlier than contrasting it with what he described because the state of affairs in Britain in the present day.“Go discover that in in the present day’s Britain, in what is named the Islamic republic of Britain,” Netanyahu mentioned.When the host questioned whether or not Netanyahu was unfairly singling out the UK and requested, “Isn’t all of Europe is like that?”, the Israeli prime minister doubled down.“Sure, however you understand somebody mentioned the primary Islamic republic with nuclear weapons would be the Islamic republic of Britain.”His feedback come amid more and more strained relations between Britain and Israel, notably over the warfare in Gaza. Shortly earlier than turning into prime minister, Andy Burnham apologised for Labour’s preliminary response to Israel’s army marketing campaign in Gaza, saying the social gathering “didn’t get it proper” and wanted to “do higher” underneath his management.Netanyahu’s feedback got here as he additionally pushed again in opposition to a US-backed plan aimed toward ending the Gaza warfare, signalling continued disagreement with Washington over the phrases of any deal involving Hamas.He mentioned Israel wouldn’t withdraw from its present positions in Gaza till Hamas was utterly disarmed. The proposed settlement referred to as for Hamas to start disarming whereas Israel halted its strikes and withdrew from roughly 60% of the territory it at present controls.“The Trump administration “despatched us a draft. We didn’t agree. It’s not our draft. We despatched our feedback. … That is our place,” Netanyahu mentioned in a video posted on social media.He additionally mentioned Israeli forces would proceed to “do no matter is important to guard themselves, our territory, and our residents.”The feedback got here as Palestinians held a mass funeral for greater than 100 our bodies recovered from a residential block in Gaza Metropolis’s Sabra neighbourhood that was destroyed in an Israeli strike in November 2023.The restoration of the stays has been doable throughout the fragile ceasefire, with rescue employees retrieving the our bodies of 112 folks, together with 40 kids, from the rubble. Gaza’s Civil Protection mentioned 157 our bodies from the location stay lacking.
