UK Slams Netanyahu’s ‘Islamic Republic’ Remark
Britain has sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he referred to the country as the “Islamic Republic of Britain” and suggested it could become an Islamic republic possessing nuclear weapons. The UK government described the comments as “completely unacceptable” and said the matter had been raised directly with Israel.
UK Condemns Netanyahu’s Britain Remarks
Netanyahu made the comments during an Israeli podcast interview while discussing Britain’s changing attitude towards Israel.
Referring to the historically supportive position of former British political figures, Netanyahu questioned whether similar sentiment could be found in Britain today before describing the country as the “Islamic Republic of Britain”.
He then referred to a claim that Britain could become the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons, before linking the remark to Israel’s confrontation with Iran.
Britain Raises Comments With Israeli Government
The British government rejected Netanyahu’s characterisation of the country and confirmed that officials had raised their concerns with the Israeli government.
The remarks drew criticism for portraying Britain’s Muslim population and political direction through the language of Islamist rule.
Netanyahu’s office had not indicated that the comments represented a formal Israeli government position.
UK-Israel Relations Face Growing Strain
The controversy comes amid increasingly strained relations between Britain and Israel over the Gaza conflict, Palestinian statehood and the conduct of Israeli military operations.
British policy towards Israel has become more critical in recent months, while Netanyahu has repeatedly accused European governments of failing to adequately confront threats posed by militant groups and radical Islamism.
The latest exchange adds another diplomatic dispute to an already tense relationship between the two longstanding partners.
