Netanyahu blasts UK’s arms embargo announced just days after hostages were executed, saying the move “sends a horrible message to Hamas.”
By World Israel News Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the UK government on Wednesday, blasting a recent moves by the country’s ruling left-wing party such as arms embargo and tacit support for an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant which may be issued against him and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
“After the October 7 Hamas massacre, the previous British government was clear in its support. Unfortunately, the current government is sending mixed messages,” Netanyahu told UK outlet the Daily Mail.
Netanyahu was particularly focused on the move to strip export licenses from UK-based weapons manufacturers providing arms to Israel.
“They say that Israel has the right to defend itself, but they undermine our ability to exercise that right both by reversing Britain’s position on the absurd allegations made by the ICC prosecutor against Israel and by blocking weapons sales to Israel as we fight against the genocidal terrorist organization that carried out the October 7 massacre.”
He noted that news of the arms embargo became public just “days after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, sending a horrible message to Hamas.”
The premier also mentioned the possibility of ICC warrants, which the UK’s previous conservative government had staunchly opposed.
“The Labour Government decided to drop its challenge to the preposterous ICC arrest warrants that were requested by the ICC prosecutor against the prime minister and the defense minister of Israel,” Netanyahu said.
“If the arrest warrants are issued against the leaders of the only democracy in the Middle East, it will compromise the ability of all democracies in the world to fight terrorism, including Britain,” he warned.
Netanyahu ended on an optimistic note, expressing confidence in an eventual Israeli victory over terror.
“Just as Britain’s heroic stand against the Nazis is seen today as having been vital in defeating barbarism, so too will history judge Israel’s stand against Hamas and Iran’s axis of terror. Israel will win this war and secure our common future,” Netanyahu said.