Netanyahu accused of slander after criticising Macron, Carney and Starmer over Hamas

His comments followed a joint statement issued on Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling on Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza. More than 3,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the assault resumed in March.

Last night in Washington something horrific happened.

A brutal terrorist shot in cold blood a young beautiful couple – Yaron Lischinsky and Sara Milgrim. Yaron had just bought an engagement ring for Sarah. He was planning to give it to her in Jerusalem next week. They were… pic.twitter.com/FFdMwlacJ9

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) May 22, 2025

French and UK officials reject Netanyahu’s allegations

In France, the foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, described Netanyahu’s allegations as defamatory. “Accusing of encouraging antisemitism or [supporting] Hamas whoever defends the two-state solution is absurd and slanderous,” Barrot said in a statement posted on X.

Barrot added that France supports Hamas being “disarmed and permanently excluded from the political future of Gaza”.

UK armed forces minister Luke Pollard also weighed in. “I condemn fully the murders of the Israeli diplomats in the United States, as has the prime minister very publicly,” he said. “But we’re also absolutely clear that the best way to bring peace to the Middle East is with an immediate ceasefire being restored in Gaza with Hamas releasing the hostages without any further delay, and with massive amounts of aid getting to the Palestinian people in Gaza – food, water and medical supplies being delivered – without delay.”

Arab leaders say Netanyahu risking Israel’s global standing

Arab ministers said Netanyahu was attempting to shore up domestic political support by attacking Western allies, but warned he was causing irreparable damage to Israel’s global standing, as per reports by The Guardian. They said the war lacked clear objectives and was becoming increasingly dysfunctional.

In contrast, they said, the US had shown that diplomacy could yield results, pointing to hostage releases that followed direct negotiations.

Mounting casualties

Israel began its military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s cross-border assault on 7 October 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Since then, over 53,000 people—including 16,500 children—have reportedly died in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Tensions between Israel and its Western allies have grown significantly, with the UK recently suspending free trade talks over inflammatory remarks by Israeli ministers and imposing sanctions on some Israeli settlers.

(With inputs from BBC, The Guardian)