Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the United Kingdom as an “Islamic Republic” during a podcast interview on Friday. His comments came as he criticized the UK’s position regarding Israel, according to reports from AFP.
In the discussion aired on the Israeli army’s radio station, Netanyahu, who is the most right-wing leader in Israeli history, recalled that Winston Churchill’s grandson openly supported Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. “Could the same happen today?” he asked rhetorically, adding with a smile, “Someone said once that the first nuclear-armed Islamic Republic would be the Islamic Republic of Great Britain. We are ensuring that there will be no other here in Iran.”
His remarks echoed sentiments often expressed by far-right Western politicians and commentators who baselessly claim that certain areas in the UK are governed by Islamic law due to the presence of immigrant populations, a stance that has drawn accusations of Islamophobia.
The UK recently announced its recognition of the Palestinian state, provoking anger from Israel. The newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that his predecessor, Labour leader Keir Starmer, did not exert enough pressure on Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza.
Before assuming office, Burnham indicated in an interview with The Guardian that the UK might consider banning trade with products sourced from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
While the UK generally aligns closely with its American ally, it has distanced itself from the American-Israeli war that commenced in February against Iran.
