Friday May 23, 2025|

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and other Western leaders of backing Hamas, following criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

In a video posted on X, Netanyahu claimed Sir Keir, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney “effectively said they want Hamas to remain in power”. He also alleged they had sided with “mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers”.

The video message was issued in response to Thursday’s attack on Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC. Netanyahu said the three leaders wanted Israel to “stand down and accept that Hamas’s army of mass murderers will survive”.

Downing Street declined to comment directly on the remarks, instead highlighting Sir Keir’s earlier condemnation of the embassy attack. In a post on X, the Labour leader described antisemitism as an “evil we must stamp out”.

The Israeli prime minister’s remarks follow a joint statement issued on Monday by the UK, France and Canada, criticising the expanded Israeli military operation in Gaza and warning of potential action if humanitarian aid remained restricted.

In his message, Netanyahu asserted, “Hamas want to destroy Israel and annihilate the Jewish people. I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others.”

He continued, “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. You’re on the wrong side of humanity, and you’re on the wrong side of history.”

Israeli minister Amichai Chikli echoed Netanyahu’s comments, accusing Sir Keir and other Western leaders of “emboldening the forces of terror”.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently described the situation in Gaza as “intolerable” and said he was “horrified” by Israel’s actions. He also criticised the limited humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza as “utterly inadequate”.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert also added his voice to the growing criticism. In an interview with the BBC World Service’s Newshour programme, he described Israel’s current leadership as a “gang of thugs” led by Netanyahu.

Responding to criticism from the Israeli education minister over his previous BBC interview—where he said Israeli actions in Gaza were “close to a war crime”—Olmert said: “This is nonsense, they are a group of thugs that are running the state of Israel these days and the head of the gang is Netanyahu.”

“Of course they are criticising me, they are defaming me, I accept it, and it will not stop me from criticising and opposing these atrocious policies,” he added.

Israel’s campaign in Gaza began following Hamas’s cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

Since then, at least 53,762 people have been killed in Gaza, including 16,500 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.