Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused top leaders from France, Britain, Canada, and others of “emboldening” Hamas after they called for an end to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. In a post on X, Netanyahu claimed that the actions of Western leaders are not promoting peace but rather encouraging Hamas to continue fighting.
Netanyahu stated that Hamas seeks to “destroy the Jewish state” and “annihilate the Jewish people.” He also criticized French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, accusing them of being on the wrong side of justice due to their support for Hamas.
The attack on two Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC has sparked international condemnation. The UK government has offered its full support to the Israeli embassy in London, while the US State Department has condemned the attack as “antisemitic.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy had previously suspended negotiations over a new free trade deal with Israel due to comments made by Israeli cabinet ministers. The UK also placed sanctions on some Israeli settlers.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/23/netanyahu-accuses-leaders-of-britain-france-and-canada-of-emboldening-hamas