Chicago – August 17, 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Britain as the “Islamic Republic of Britain,” sharply criticizing the country’s increasingly critical stance toward Israel.
Netanyahu made the remarks during an interview with Israel’s Army Radio. He also referred to Britain as potentially becoming the first “Islamic republic” with nuclear weapons, linking his comments to concerns about Iran and Britain’s political direction.
His comments come as relations between Israel and the United Kingdom have deteriorated over the war in Gaza. The British government has taken measures against Israeli officials and has discussed additional sanctions, including action related to Israeli settlements and settlement-linked goods.
The UK government described Netanyahu’s remarks as “completely unacceptable” and said the issue had been raised with the Israeli government. British Jewish leaders also distanced themselves from the comments, saying Netanyahu does not speak on behalf of British Jews.
The remarks add to tensions between the two countries as Britain considers further measures against Israel.
