Netanyahu faces rebuke from France and UK over criticism of Macron, Starmer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticism of British Prime Minister Kier Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron has invited accusations of slander from both countries.

Netanyahu on Friday blasted Starmer, Macron and the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for supporting Hamas and stoking antisemitism following the deaths of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, DC earlier this week. The duo were killed by a gunman who was heard saying “Free, free Palestine” as he was being taken away by the police.

“I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others. They are now proposing to establish a Palestinian state and reward these murderers with the ultimate prize,” the prime minister said.

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Netanyahu was not alone in blaming the West for going against Israel, all while backing Hamas. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, also linked the deaths of the embassy staff with European leaders.

Meanwhile, the Israeli leader’s comments have not just invited criticism from the countries whose leaders he pinned the blame on, but are also believed by officials of his own government to be actions motivated by Starmer, Macron and Carney’s joint statement, calling on Israel to stop the war.

What have UK and France said?

In France, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described Netanyahu’s allegations of antisemitism as defamatory. In a statement posted on X, Barrot said: “Accusing of encouraging antisemitism or [supporting] Hamas whoever defends the two-state solution is absurd and slanderous.”

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He also stated that France supports Hamas being “disarmed and permanently excluded from the political future of Gaza.”

Meanwhile, Britain’s armed forces minister, Luke Pollard, said, “I condemn fully the murders of the Israeli diplomats in the United States, as has the prime minister very publicly."

“But we’re also absolutely clear that the best way to bring peace to the Middle East is with an immediate ceasefire being restored in Gaza with Hamas releasing the hostages without any further delay, and with massive amounts of aid getting to the Palestinian people in Gaza – food, water and medical supplies being delivered – without delay,” he added.