A Labour minister today hit back at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he accused Sir Keir Starmer of ’emboldening Hamas‘.
Following the killing of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC, Mr Netanyahu tore into the UK Prime Minister and other world leaders.
He claimed Sir Keir, France‘s Emmanuel Macron and Canada‘s Mark Carney were ‘on the wrong side of justice’.
Mr Netanyahu said the actions of the leaders were not ‘advancing peace’, but ’emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever’.
It came after Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Carney had earlier this week condemned the Israeli government’s ‘egregious’ actions in Gaza.
They warned they would take ‘concrete actions’ unless Mr Netanyahu changes course.
The UK Government on Tuesday suspended trade deal talks with Israel, sanctioned West Bank settlers and summoned the country’s ambassador.
In a widening rift between Britain and the Israeli government, Labour MP Luke Pollard – the Armed Forces minister – this morning flatly rejected Mr Netanyahu’s remarks about Sir Keir.
A Labour minister has hit back at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he accused Sir Keir Starmer of ’emboldening Hamas’
Mr Netanyahu claimed Sir Keir, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Canada’s Mark Carney were ‘on the wrong side of justice’
In a widening rift between Britain and the Israeli government, Labour MP Luke Pollard – the Armed Forces minister – flatly rejected Mr Netanyahu’s remarks about Sir Keir
Mr Pollard told LBC: ‘I don’t agree with those comments.
‘We condemn in the fullest possible terms the murder of the Israeli diplomats in the US. That is completely unacceptable.
‘But the argument that we have been making about how we bring peace to Israel and to the Palestinians is with a restoration of the immediate ceasefire.
‘With Hamas releasing the hostages without any further delay and for massive amounts of aid to get into Gaza to give the Palestinians the food, water and medical support that they need.
‘Now that’s an argument we’ve been making consistently, publicly, but also privately.
‘We’re going to continue doing that, because what we’re seeing, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, is unacceptable. I think everyone will be able to see that that’s unacceptable.
‘We oppose Hamas. We oppose the awful atrocities they committed on 7th October, and that is the reason why we want to see peace.
‘The only way to achieve that two-state solution that is good for Israelis and Palestinians alike is a restoration of the ceasefire, the hostages released and aid delivered to the people who really need it.’
Mr Pollard also stressed that Britain stood with Israel in their right to self defence, ‘but that self defence must be conducted within the bounds of international humanitarian law’.
‘At this moment, we stand fast against terrorism, but we also want to make sure that the aid is getting into Gaza,’ he told Times Radio in a round of media interviews.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France, which like Britain and Canada designates Hamas as a terrorist organisation, was ‘unwaveringly committed to Israel’s security’.
He said it was determined to combat anti-Semitism and that it was ‘absurd and slanderous’ to accuse supporters of a two-state solution of encouraging anti-Semitism or Hamas.
In a post on X on Thursday evening, Mr Netanyahu said Hamas wants to ‘destroy the Jewish state’ and ‘annihilate the Jewish people’.
He said: ‘I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others.
‘I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer, when mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you’re on the wrong side of justice.
‘Because by issuing their demand – replete with a threat of sanctions against Israel, against Israel, not Hamas – these three leaders effectively said they want Hamas to remain in power.’
Mr Netanyahu said the actions of the leaders were not ‘advancing peace’, but ’emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever’.
The Israeli leader’s comments came in a video statement after two Israeli embassy staff were killed in Washington DC.
The embassy staff, a man and a woman, were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the 31-year-old suspect approached.
Israel’s foreign minister identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim.
The attack has sent shockwaves around the world and prompted Israeli missions to beef up security.
Elias Rodriguez, 31, told police after his arrest, ‘I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,’ federal authorities said on Thursday, as they announced criminal charges.
Sir Keir has described the shooting as ‘anti-Semitic’. He said: ‘I thoroughly condemn the antisemitic attack outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC.
‘Anti-Semitism is an evil we must stamp out wherever it appears.
‘My thoughts are with their colleagues, family and loved ones, and as always, I stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.’
Downing Street said the PM ‘stands in solidarity with the Jewish community here in the UK’, adding the Government has offered its ‘full support to the Israeli embassy in London’.
Sir Keir’s official spokesman added: ‘As you know, we continue to provide around £18 million a year in funding for protective security measures for Jewish community sites in the UK.’
The Government’s approach towards Israel’s actions in Gaza will not change as a result of the killings, the spokesman indicated, but he said this ‘does not take away at all from the fact that antisemitism is an evil that must be stamped out wherever it appears’.
