Netanyahu calls Britain 'the first Islamic Republic with nuclear weapons'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called Britain "the first British Islamic Republic to have nuclear weapons," The Guardian reported.

Netanyahu made the remarks in an interview with Israeli Army Radio, echoing the Islamophobic views of right-wing forces towards Britain's Muslim minority.

He recalled how half a century ago journalist Randolph Churchill, the son of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, had given positive coverage of Israel, saying: "Look for it in Britain today, in a place called the British Islamic Republic."

The host did not dispute Netanyahu's words, but instead asked the prime minister if he was being unfair to Britain, asking, "Isn't that the case across Europe?" Netanyahu replied firmly: "Yes, but you know, someone said that the first Islamic Republic to have nuclear weapons would be the Islamic Republic of Britain."

For your information, Pakistan, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, has had nuclear weapons since the 1990s.

Relations between the UK and Israel have been increasingly strained in recent months, especially since Andy Burnham became British Prime Minister. Shortly before he became Prime Minister, he apologized for the Labour Party's initial response to Israel's military action in Gaza. Burnham said the party had not done the right thing and that it needed to do better under his leadership, signaling a major shift in Britain's approach to the Middle East. In June, he announced that he would do more to pressure the Israeli government, including imposing additional sanctions on individuals and entities and possibly banning trade with illegal settlements.

US Vice President Jay Dee Vance made similar statements to Netanyahu during his 2024 presidential campaign, saying that the UK could become "the first truly Islamic country to have nuclear weapons".

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also been a frequent target of racist attacks by right-wing leaders abroad, including Donald Trump, who have used Islamophobic lies to gain political advantage.

Netanyahu, who leads the most right-wing government in Israeli history, has distanced himself from traditional allies. At the same time, he has grown closer to right-wing ultranationalist figures, including those with a history of anti-Semitic views.

The Prime Minister's Office did not respond to a request for comment on whether Netanyahu's statement reflected the official position of the Israeli government. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Netanyahu had previously rejected Trump's Gaza plan.