Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Britain as the “Islamic Republic of Britain” during a lengthy podcast interview, making a sarcastic reference to what he portrayed as changing attitudes toward Israel in the country.
According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu was discussing coverage of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war when he referred to members of the Churchill family. He said Randolph Churchill and Winston Spencer Churchill had travelled to Israel as journalists and provided positive coverage of the conflict.
Netanyahu then contrasted that historical coverage with what he described as Britain’s current political and media environment. Laughing during the interview, he said such coverage would no longer be seen in Britain, which he sarcastically referred to as the “Islamic Republic of Britain.”
The interviewer subsequently asked Netanyahu whether the same trend could now be seen across Europe. Netanyahu responded in the affirmative, suggesting that criticism or opposition toward Israel had become more widespread across European countries.
Netanyahu continued his remarks by making a reference to nuclear weapons and Iran. He jokingly described Britain as the first “nuclear Islamic republic,” while saying Israel was working to prevent Iran from becoming another state of that kind.
The comments come amid continuing tensions between Israel and several European countries over the Gaza conflict and their respective positions on Israel’s military actions. Netanyahu has frequently criticised international pressure on Israel and defended his government’s policies.
His comments about Britain were framed as sarcasm during the interview rather than a formal description of the country. The remarks have nevertheless drawn attention because of the language used to characterise Britain and his broader criticism of European attitudes toward Israel.
