Israel’s leader has accused Sir Keir Starmer and other world leaders of “being on the wrong side” of justice, humanity and history after two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead in Washington DC.
The UK prime minister, French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian PM Mark Carney were “emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever”, Benjamin Netanyahu claimed, by giving them “hope to establish a second Palestinian state from which Hamas will again seek to destroy the Jewish state”.
A gunman shot young diplomat couple Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim from close range after they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. The suspect then walked into the building chanting “Free Palestine” before he was stopped by security staff and arrested.
On Monday, the UK, French and Canadian governments said in a joint statement they were committed to recognising a Palestinian state “as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution” to the war.
Mr Netanyahu said Hamas had thanked Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Carney for demanding that Israel end its war in Gaza immediately, claiming the three had shown they effectively wanted Hamas to remain in power.
He said in a video on social media: “I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer: When mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, 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.”
The three leaders, he claimed, wanted Israel to stand down and accept that Hamas’s mass murderers would repeat the 7 October 2023 massacre.
Hamas wanted to annihilate Jews, he said, adding: “I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others.”
Sir Keir condemned the shootings, saying antisemitism was “an evil we must stamp out wherever it appears”. He said: “My thoughts are with their colleagues, family and loved ones, and as always, I stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.”
Mr Netanyahu also dismissed as a lie claims that Israel was starving Palestinian children.
Other Israeli ministers have also suggested that the condemnation by Western leaders of Israel’s aid blockade and resumed offensive in Gaza was partly to blame.
“We must also hold to account the irresponsible leaders in the West who give backing to this hatred – whether through appeasement, double standards, or silence,” said Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister for the diaspora and combatting antisemitism.
“French president Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney have all, in different ways, emboldened the forces of terror through their failure to draw moral red lines. This cowardice has a price – and that price is paid in Jewish blood,” he added in a post on X.
In a press briefing later on Thursday morning, Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed similar views.
“There is a direct line connecting antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement to this murder,” he said. “This incitement is also done by leaders and officials of many countries and international organisations, especially from Europe.
“Their words are the modern blood libels. Blood libels about genocide, crimes against humanity and murdering babies paved the way exactly for such murders. This is what happens when leaders in the world surrender to the Palestinian terrorist propaganda and serve it.”
Mr Netanyahu described the shootings as “the terrible cost of the antisemitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel”.
“My heart grieves for the families of the young beloveds, whose lives were cut short in a moment by an abhorrent antisemitic murderer,” he said. “I have directed that security be increased at Israeli missions around the world and for the state’s representatives.”
The Israeli government has come under strong criticism for the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza after this week ending an 11-week aid blockade which caused widespread hunger and desperate sanitary conditions in the strip.
In the past week, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed – including dozens of women and children – after intensified airstrikes on Gaza and the launch of a new ground offensive from the north and south of the strip, named Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
On Sunday night, the UK, Canada and France issued their strongest condemnation yet of Mr Netanyahu’s government. A joint statement with Canada and France demanded that he halt his “egregious” actions in Gaza, threatening “concrete actions” over the “intolerable” human suffering inflicted on the enclave.
The next day, Sir Keir spoke out against the “utterly intolerable” situation in Gaza, as foreign minister David Lammy announced the UK would suspend trade negotiations with Israel and introduce sanctions against a number of settler individuals and entities in the West Bank.
Describing Israel’s actions as “monstrous”, Mr Lammy announced that Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely had been summoned to the Foreign Office by Middle East minister Hamish Falconer.
Following the joint statement by Sir Keir, French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian PM Mark Carney, Mr Netanyahu hit back, accusing the leaders of “offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities”.
In Washington DC, police cordons remained around the site of the shooting, which took place at around 9.15pm local time on Wednesday (02.15am BST).
Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said Elias Rodriguez, who was not previously known to police, was seen pacing outside the venue before the attack.
“Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon, and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he committed the offence,” she said.
US President Donald Trump condemned the shooting on Truth Social, writing: “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”
