Netanyahu calls UK “Islamic Republic of Britain” in attack on media coverage
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn anger in Britain and Israel after calling the UK the “Islamic Republic of Britain” and saying it could
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn anger in Britain and Israel after calling the UK the “Islamic Republic of Britain” and saying it could become the “first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons.” The remarks, made in a podcast interview aired Thursday, landed hard because they targeted one of Israel’s long-time European allies.
The comments came as relations between London and Jerusalem have grown strained over the war in Gaza. Sharp words followed fast. Netanyahu’s jab also echoed a familiar far-right Islamophobic trope about Britain’s Muslim population, according to reporting on the interview.
Attack on Britain’s media climate
Netanyahu made the remarks while speaking on Israel’s Army Radio podcast, where he praised the “positive” coverage Israel received from Randolph Churchill, the son of former British prime minister Winston Churchill, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
He then contrasted that with Britain today. “Go find that in today’s Britain, in what is called the Islamic republic of Britain,” he said.
When the host suggested he was singling out Britain unfairly and asked whether “all of Europe” was the same, Netanyahu doubled down. “Yes, but you know someone said the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons will be the Islamic republic of Britain,” he said.
Backlash in Israel and abroad
Political opponents and Jewish groups quickly condemned the remarks, describing them as an attack on an ally and a diplomatic own goal. One critic in Israel called it an “horrific diplomatic failure.”
Tension between Britain and Israel has been building for months, with the Gaza war at the center of the split. London has been among Israel’s most important European partners, but the tone has hardened as the conflict has dragged on. This latest outburst pushes it further.
Tapi Netanyahu did not stop there. He also tied his remarks to Iran, saying Israel would ensure Tehran did not become “another one.” In a separate line, he referred back to the claim that the “first nuclear-armed Islamic Republic” would be Britain.
For now, the political damage is already visible. The controversy has put a senior Israeli leader on the defensive over language that reached well beyond Britain and landed squarely in a broader debate over Islam, allies and the Gaza war.
