Netanyahu: Britain is a 'rogue state'!
London – Agencies: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the British government as acting like a rogue state, criticizing its policy toward Tel Aviv, in a stark contrast to London’s historical role in issuing the Balfour Declaration in 1917. In an interview with the British Daily Mail, Netanyahu said that the policy of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government toward Israel represented, in his words, unfathomable hypocrisy, accusing it of behaving like a rogue state and appeasing what he termed an alliance of the left and Islamists.
Netanyahu focused his criticism on British measures taken in recent weeks against Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, alongside tightening restrictions on exports that could be used by Israel. On September 8, the British government announced new measures against settlements, including plans to ban the import of settlement products and impose restrictions on individuals and companies that support, facilitate, or benefit from settlement activity. It later confirmed that it had suspended or rejected more than 80 export licenses to Israel, and that it would reject export requests that materially contribute to the continuation of the occupation.
In the interview, Netanyahu claimed that Israeli intelligence had provided Britain with information that helped thwart a potential attack on RAF Fairford, a base used by U.S. forces. He said Israel had warned British authorities about what he described as an Iran-backed attack, adding, “This was stopped and prevented,” and asserting that without Israeli information, they would not know how many British lives might have been lost.
On September 27, British police detained several individuals after spotting suspicious vehicles near RAF Fairford, before releasing them on bail. Later, a person holding both British and Iranian citizenship was arrested and subsequently released on bail. Counter-terrorism police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing along several lines, including the possibility of foreign state involvement, while the British Prime Minister stated there were strong indications of a potential Iranian role.
Netanyahu said he had not yet spoken with Burnham, despite nearly two months having passed since he took office, and acknowledged that relations between the two countries were not good. He accused the Labour government of appeasing Israel’s adversaries, claiming that London was attacking Israel while taking measures against it, even as Tel Aviv, in his view, was confronting Iran and armed groups in the region. He also criticized pro-Palestinian protests in Britain, questioning why demonstrations were not directed at the Iranian embassy instead of Israel.
His comments come amid escalating British measures against settlements in the West Bank. London has declared settlements illegal under international law, tightened restrictions on trade and exports linked to the occupation, while reaffirming that trade with Israel within the Green Line continues.
