Doncald Trump’s ambassador to Israel has launched a furious attack on Keir Starmer and claimed that if Sir Keir had led the Britain during the rise of the Nazis “then UK would be speaking German!”. Ambassador Mike Huckabee issued the remarkable statement in response to Sir Keir’s statement earlier in the day opposing Israel’s plan to occupy the whole of Gaza.
The Prime Minister said: “The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately.” But Ambassador Huckabee, a former US Presidential candidate and ally of Mr Trump, said on X: “So Israel is expected to surrender to Hamas & feed them even though Israeli hostages are being starved?”
Referring to the bombing of Dresden in World War II, he said: “Did UK surrender to Nazis and drop food to them? Ever heard of Dresden, PM Starmer?
“That wasn’t food you dropped. If you had been PM then UK would be speaking German!”
Ambassador Huckabee, appointed by Mr Trump as an ambassador last year, officially speaks on behalf of the United States. However his comments were very different in tone to the warm words that Mr Trump has used about the Prime Minister on a number of occasions, Last month he said about Sir Keir: “I like this man a lot,”
US Vice President JD Vance, currently on holiday in the UK, described foreign secretary David Lammy as “a good friend”.
Sir Keir, who has defended Israel in the past, has criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu’s plan to temporarily occupy Gaza and invite neighbouring Arab countries to take over running the strip of land.
The Prime Minister said: “The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed.
“Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.
“Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.
“But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction.”
The Prime Minister has pledged to recognise a Palestinian state by September unless Israel meets a series of conditions towards ending the war in Gaza.
He has also urged Hamas to disarm, release its remaining Israeli hostages, and accept it will have no part in the future governance of Gaza.
If Israel’s Gaza City offensive goes ahead, the prospect of it meeting Sir Keir’s conditions to prevent the UK recognising Palestinian statehood would likely diminish.
The Times has meanwhile reported that the Israeli government is considering counter-measures should the UK recognise Palestine.
This could include withdrawing defence and intelligence cooperation, which has been vital to foiling terror activities in the UK, the newspaper said.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the Government to block all arms exports to Israel and sanction Mr Netanyahu, saying it is becoming “increasingly clear that his goal is ethnic cleansing” in Gaza.
“Netanyahu’s plans to occupy the whole of Gaza are utterly abhorrent,” he said.
“Rather than sitting on its hands and issuing strongly worded statements, the UK Government needs to take decisive action. Keir Starmer needs to stop the export of all UK arms to Israel – today – and sanction Netanyahu and his cabinet.”