Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other leaders of siding with the Palestinian extremist group Hamas.
"They are essentially saying they want Hamas to stay in power," Netanyahu said of the British prime minister, French President Emmanuel Macron and newly elected Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.
He accused them of "taking sides with mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers."
Starmer, Macron and Carney want Israel to "step back and accept that Hamas' army of mass murderers will survive," the Israeli prime minister said in a video posted on the X network, in which he spoke about the murder of two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington May 22.
The British Prime Minister's office declined to comment on Netanyahu's accusations, but pointed out that Starmer condemned the attack in Washington.
Anti-Semitism is "an evil that must be eradicated," Starmer wrote in a post on X.
Britain, France and Canada condemned earlier this week the expanded Israeli military action and the denial of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.
They also threatened concrete actions if Israel did not stop implementing such policies, and Great Britain suspended trade negotiations with Israel.
- 'We will control all of Gaza, we will allow minimal aid,' says Israeli PM
- Who in the West is losing patience with the new Israeli offensive in Gaza?
- 'Unacceptable Gaza offensive': UK suspends trade talks with Israel
Netanyahu said Hamas "wants to destroy Israel and the Jewish people."
"I cannot understand how this simple truth escapes the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others."
"To President Macron and Prime Ministers Carney and Starmer - when mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you are on the wrong side of justice."
"You are on the wrong side of humanity, and on the wrong side of history," he added.
Israeli Minister Amichai Chikli said the British Prime Minister and other leaders were "encouraging the forces of terror."
Starmer previously said he was "appalled" by Israel's actions, adding that the situation in Gaza was "unbearable".
Israel's decision to allow a small amount of aid to Gaza is "completely insufficient".
In an interview with the BBC, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described the current Israeli administration as a "gang of thugs".
He also commented on the words of the Israeli Minister of Education, who said that Olmert should be ashamed of an earlier interview with the BBC, in which he stated that Israel's actions in Gaza were "close to a war crime."
"That's nonsense, they are a group of thugs who are destroying Israel these days, and Netanyahu is the head of the gang - it's a gang of thugs," Olmert said.
"Of course they criticize me, they smear me, I accept that, but it won't stop me from criticizing and opposing this terrible policy."
Israel launched military action in Gaza in response to a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which about 1.200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage.
At least 53.762 people, including 16.500 children, have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.
BBC is in Serbian from now on and on YouTube, follow us HERE.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram i Viber. If you have a topic suggestion for us, please contact bbcnasrpskom@bbc.co.uk
- Israel plans to 'occupy' Gaza Strip
- Five questions about Israel's plan to seize all of Gaza
- Food shortage in Gaza: Children starve due to Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid
Bonus video:
