Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a pointed critique of the United Kingdom’s current government and Labour Party policies during an interview in Jerusalem, highlighting deteriorating relations between the two allies against the backdrop of ongoing regional and domestic tensions.
Speaking from a heavily secured studio near the Knesset in central Jerusalem on Thursday evening, Netanyahu expressed deep frustration with Britain’s recent moves concerning Israel, specifically targeting the Labour Party’s decision to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the government’s partial suspension of arms licenses. He described these actions as aligned with an “Islamist Leftist alliance” and labelled the British administration’s behavior as “like a rogue state.” His comments came days after Israel provided intelligence to British security services that reportedly prevented an Iran-linked attack on RAF Fairford, a point Netanyahu underscored to emphasize Israel’s role in protecting British security.
Netanyahu criticized what he called “mind-blowing hypocrisy” by Britain, asserting that while Israel warns against terrorist threats and shares vital intelligence, the UK government appears to support entities he considers adversarial. He accused Labour of succumbing to internal pressures from Islamist groups within the UK and evoked historical warnings about democracies’ vulnerability to appeasement.
“The relationship is not very good,” Netanyahu said, describing it as strained by Britain’s perceived support for Israel’s enemies and criticism of Israel itself. He framed the conflict as part of a broader struggle, calling it “the Battle of Britain” and “the Battle of Western civilisation” against Islamist terrorism and Iranian influence. Netanyahu also urged British officials and protesters to direct their criticism instead towards Iran and its regional proxies, highlighting Tehran’s regional destabilization efforts and accusing Western governments of failing to confront the Iranian threat adequately.
On the subject of recent security incidents, Netanyahu addressed the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was thwarted by passengers and crew. He suggested the attacker was radicalized by Islamist ideology and indicated an investigation is ongoing to determine if external actors orchestrated the plot. Netanyahu praised the bravery of the Israeli passengers, calling their intervention “miraculous” and noting that the thwarted hijacking coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Entebbe raid, during which his brother Yoni was killed.
Netanyahu also touched on domestic political challenges, with national elections scheduled for October 27. He emphasized his government’s record in combating Hamas, Hezbollah, and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as key reasons for seeking another mandate. Netanyahu admitted the personal strain of political life, particularly attacks targeting his family.
Closing the interview, he criticized the UK’s handling of the small-boat migrant crisis, warning that failure to regain control of its borders could undermine Britain’s national integrity. While he noted Israel had not been asked to advise on the issue, Netanyahu expressed hope that the UK would “recover” and restore the historically strong relationship between the two countries.