Netanyahu brands Britain as an ‘Islamic Republic’ amid rising UK-Israel tensions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the United Kingdom the “Islamic Republic of Britain” during a podcast, sparking criticism from British Jewish leaders.
During a recent episode of the Israeli podcast Melech Blitzer Haim, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the United Kingdom as the “Islamic Republic of Britain,” mocking current British media coverage of Israel. He invoked the legacy of writer Randolph Churchill’s favorable reporting during the 1967 Six-Day War and echoed a 2022 JD Vance remark about a nuclear-armed Islamic state. Netanyahu added that Israel is working to prevent a similar outcome in Iran.
The statement drew rebuke from Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Lev, who said the language fuels division and does not represent British Jews. Relations between Israel and the UK have soured since the Labour Party took office in 2024, with the new government halting free-trade talks, suspending some arms licences, and joining sanctions against Israeli far-right ministers. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently apologized for Labour’s delayed response to the Gaza conflict and called for stronger measures against Israeli actions.
Why it matters
The prime minister's inflammatory label highlights deepening diplomatic strain between Israel and its longtime European ally, the UK.
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