Harun Nasrullah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Britain as the “Islamic Republic of Britain”, prompting the UK government to call the remarks “completely unacceptable”.
Netanyahu made the comments during an August 13 interview with Israel’s Army Radio, in which he contrasted Britain’s current attitude towards Israel with its coverage of the 1967 Six-Day War.
He praised Randolph Churchill, son of former prime minister Winston Churchill, and Randolph’s son, Winston Spencer Churchill, for their coverage of the conflict.
“Try to find that now in Britain, which you could call the Islamic Republic of Britain,” Netanyahu said.
Asked whether he believed the same applied across Europe, Netanyahu said yes. He also referred to a claim that Britain could become the “first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons”.
“We’ll make sure there isn’t a second one here, in Iran,” he added.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “These comments are completely unacceptable, and we have raised them with the Israeli government.”
The remarks come amid growing tensions between Britain and Israel over Gaza, Palestinian statehood and Israeli policy in the occupied West Bank.
On June 10, 2025, Britain joined Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in sanctioning Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over what the governments described as incitement of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
The British government said the sanctions targeted individuals accused of “inciting serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”, while stressing its commitment to “a strong friendship with the people of Israel”.
Smotrich accused Britain of trying to prevent Jewish settlement, saying: “Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we cannot do it again.”
Tensions increased further after Britain formally recognised Palestine on September 21, 2025. Then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move was intended to support a two-state solution.
Netanyahu condemned the decision as “an absurd prize for terrorism”, arguing that it rewarded Hamas.
The dispute has continued under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. On July 9, shortly before taking office, Burnham apologised for Labour’s response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza my party didn’t get it right and I am sorry about that,” he said.
He said Labour had been “too slow to call for a ceasefire” and that Britain needed to put more pressure on the Israeli government.
His proposed measures included tougher sanctions over Gaza and restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
However, the government refuses military sanctions against Israel.
On July 22, Israeli officials told the Daily Telegraph that relations with Burnham’s government were “frozen”. One official said: “We’re not interested in talking to” some British ministers.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has also criticised Israel’s conduct. In July, he said Israel had fallen short of British military standards in Gaza and the West Bank, while affirming its right to self-defence.
During the August 13 interview, Netanyahu said Britain’s political and media climate, and its attitude towards Israel, had changed.
His description of Britain as an “Islamic republic” echoes comments made by US Vice-President JD Vance during the 2024 presidential campaign. Vance suggested Britain could become “the first truly Islamist country” to acquire nuclear weapons.
Britain is a nuclear-armed state but is not an Islamic republic. Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is also a nuclear-armed state. So is Israel a nuclear state.
The latest comments add to a series of disputes between Britain and Israel over UK sanctions on Israeli ministers, recognition of Palestine and criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
