Israeli PM Netanyahu Slams Western Leaders Who Called For End To Gaza Offensives
His comments came after the three nations warned they would take “concrete action” if Israel failed to halt its ongoing offensive in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lashed out at the leaders of France, Britain, and Canada, accusing them of siding with the Palestinian militant group, Hamas.
His comments came after the three nations warned they would take “concrete action” if Israel failed to halt its ongoing offensive in Gaza.
“You’re on the wrong side of humanity and you’re on the wrong side of history,” Reuters quoted Netanyahu as saying, responding directly to the foreign leaders’ warnings amid growing international pressure over its war in Gaza.
The Israeli leader pointed to Tuesday’s fatal stabbing of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington by an assailant who reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” as evidence of the threat support for Palestine poses.
His comments come after similar sentiments were expressed by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar a day earlier.
As graphic images of destruction and hunger in Gaza continue to circulate globally, sparking protests and calls for a ceasefire, Israel has faced increasing challenges in swaying international opinion.
Support for Israel’s operations has waned, particularly in Western democracies.
“It’s hard to convince at least some people, definitely on the far left in the U.S. and in some countries in Europe, that what Israel is doing is a war of defence,” said Yaki Dayan, a former Israeli diplomat.
“But this is how it is perceived in Israel, and bridging this gap is sometimes an impossible mission,” he added.
There are fears that France could soon follow Spain and Ireland in endorsing a two-state solution to end the decades-long conflict.
Netanyahu, however, argues that establishing a Palestinian state would endanger Israel’s security.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the British government intensified its criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza by suspending free trade negotiations and imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
The decisive move comes as global criticism intensifies over Israel’s nearly three-month blockade of humanitarian supplies into Gaza, which has prompted warnings of famine from aid organizations and concern even from staunch allies like the United States, according to AP.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.
The UK’s action followed a rare coordinated rebuke issued Monday by Britain, France, and Canada, condemning Israel’s conduct in Gaza and its settlement expansion in the West Bank.
While the existing UK-Israel trade agreement remains in effect, the suspension of talks for a new deal marks one of the strongest diplomatic measures Britain has taken since the conflict began.
Sanctions announced on this week Tuesday target individuals and groups associated with violent settler activity in the West Bank, signaling a shift in the UK’s stance as the humanitarian toll in the region deepens.
