LONDON —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a stinging attack on British Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, accusing him of siding with Hamas in a growing diplomatic feud over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
In a video statement shared on Thursday via X (formerly Twitter), Netanyahu also took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, saying they had “effectively said they want Hamas to remain in power.”
“When mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you,” Netanyahu said, “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.”
His remarks followed a joint statement earlier this week from the UK, France and Canada condemning Israel’s expanded offensive in Gaza and the restriction of humanitarian aid. The three countries warned of “consequences” if the situation did not improve, calling Israel’s current approach “intolerable”.
Sir Keir Starmer had previously criticized the deadly attack on Israeli embassy staff in Washington, labelling antisemitism “an evil we must stamp out” in a post on X. Downing Street has not responded directly to Netanyahu’s outburst but pointed reporters to Starmer’s earlier condemnation.
The heated words from Netanyahu come amid rising international pressure on Israel, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens. Aid agencies have struggled to deliver basic supplies, and many residents are left without food, clean water, or medical support.
The UK Prime Minister, who has also voiced outrage over Israel’s limited aid access, described the current state of affairs as “utterly inadequate”.
Meanwhile, cracks have appeared within Israel’s own political ranks. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the BBC this week that the current leadership was behaving “like a gang of thugs.”
“This is nonsense,” Olmert said, responding to criticism from an Israeli cabinet minister. “They are a group of thugs that are running the state of Israel these days, and the head of the gang is Netanyahu. It will not stop me from opposing these atrocious policies.”
An Israeli cabinet member, Amichai Chikli, defended the government, accusing Starmer and other Western leaders of “emboldening the forces of terror.”
The war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that left around 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage, has spiralled into one of the region’s deadliest episodes in decades. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, at least 53,762 Palestinians have since been killed, among them over 16,000 children.
The numbers remain contested by Israeli officials, who argue that Hamas embeds fighters within civilian infrastructure. But international concern is mounting over the scale of civilian casualties and destruction.
The diplomatic rift highlights growing tensions between Israel and its Western allies once staunch supporters now grappling with the moral and strategic weight of the Gaza campaign.
For now, Netanyahu appears determined to defend Israel’s actions, casting any opposition as appeasement to terror. But with allies raising the alarm and dissent at home growing louder, the pressure is far from easing.
