Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has referred to Britain as the “Islamic Republic of Britain” in a sarcastic remark during an interview on an Israeli Army Radio podcast.
Netanyahu made the comment while discussing the Six-Day War of 1967. He praised the coverage of the conflict by Randolph Churchill, son of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Winston Spencer Churchill, his grandson, who worked as journalists and had reported from Israel.
Comparing that coverage with Britain’s current position, Netanyahu said it would be difficult to find similar reporting in Britain today, prompting his description of the country as the “Islamic Republic of Britain.”
When asked whether he believed the rest of Europe had also moved in the same direction, Netanyahu answered in the affirmative.
He went on to say that someone had suggested Britain could become the first “Islamic republic” to possess nuclear weapons, adding that Israel was working to ensure Iran would not become another such state. His remarks have attracted criticism.
