Netanyahu makes inflammatory nuclear remark about the UK in podcast interview

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn criticism after describing the United Kingdom as the "first Islamic republic to obtain a nuclear weapon" during a podcast interview. The remark was made in a conversation on an army radio podcast, according to the supplied report, and was presented with a smile. It has added a new flashpoint to already strained political relations involving Israel, Britain and Iran.

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In the interview, Netanyahu also referred to the UK as the "Islamic Republic of Great Britain" and linked his comment to a line he said someone had once used about nuclear weapons. He said: "We are making sure there is no other one here in Iran." The report says he also mentioned Randolph Churchill, the grandson of Winston Churchill, as having publicly supported Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The comment was made in the context of wider debate over Britain's position on Israel and the Middle East.

The row comes after the UK was among European countries that recognised the State of Palestine last year, a move that angered the Israeli government. The report also says the new British prime minister, Andy Burnham, has said his predecessor Keir Starmer did not put enough pressure on Israel to stop its offensive in the Gaza Strip. Britain has also distanced itself from the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February, according to the same account.

Those positions have placed London at odds with the Israeli leadership on several fronts. Netanyahu's language is significant because it touches on three sensitive issues at once: Britain's domestic politics, the war in Gaza and the long-running confrontation with Iran. The nuclear reference is especially notable given the central role of Iran in Israeli security policy and in regional diplomacy.

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It also risks further complicating relations with a close Western partner at a time when international criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza remains intense. The report places the remark within a broader pattern of rhetoric from right-wing politicians who argue that parts of the UK are being shaped by Islamic law because of immigration. It also notes that similar claims were made by JD Vance during the 2024 US presidential campaign, when he said Britain could become the first "truly Islamic country" to obtain a nuclear weapon.

By invoking that language, Netanyahu has aligned himself with a highly charged political narrative that extends beyond the immediate dispute with Britain. What remains unclear is whether the Israeli prime minister's office will clarify the comment or whether British officials will respond publicly. The report does not indicate any formal diplomatic action at this stage.

What to watch next is whether the remark becomes part of a wider exchange over Palestine recognition, Gaza policy and pressure on Iran, or whether it is treated as a one-off rhetorical escalation.

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