UK walks tightrope on Israel amid Iran conflict and Gaza pressure

By Joe Mayes and Ellen Milligan

 

The UK government is trying to walk a tightrope on relations with Israel, expressing support for its military action against Iran while also criticizing the war in Gaza.

 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet with fellow world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday and continue his calls for de-escalation between Israel and Iran, after the two countries bombarded each other for a third day on Sunday.

 

Britain’s stance toward Israel is a delicate issue for Starmer. He’s keen to remain aligned with the US on security matters and uphold the UK’s backing of Israel against Iranian threats. But he also faces internal pressure from his Labour Party to continue to object strongly to the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration in Gaza.  

 

Starmer’s aim is “to reach long-term security and peace in the Middle East,” the prime minister’s official spokesman told reporters on Sunday, ahead of the G-7 meeting. “That will be his overarching priority going into those talks.”

 

The UK has already moved jets to the Middle East to defend its military bases there, though it hasn’t intervened in the Israel-Iran conflict. British aircraft shot down Iranian drones sent to attack Israel last year, but Starmer has said the UK hasn’t stepped in this time because he wants to see a reduction in tensions.

 

“My strong position is this needs to de-escalate, and that is the primary focus of the discussions that I’ve been having,” Starmer told reporters over the weekend. Starmer said he’d discussed possible diplomatic solutions with US President Donald Trump on Friday.

 

However, on Sunday, Trump raised the possibility of potential American involvement in the conflict, speaking in an interview with ABC News. “It’s possible we could get involved,” Trump said. He noted that the US is “not at this moment involved.”

 

Meanwhile, Israel has called on the US and European nations to support its offensive against Iran. Israeli Science Minister Gila Gamliel said on Sunday that stopping Iran from gaining nuclear weapons would save lives beyond Israel. 

 

“I hope they come to understand this in Europe and in the US, so that we can finish the job together, and in this way, it will be easier, quicker, more focused, and more exact,” Gamliel said in an Army Radio interview.

 

The outbreak of the Israel-Iran conflict comes amid increased tension in the UK-Israeli relationship, after Britain sanctioned two Israeli government ministers for inciting violence against Palestinian communities. Israel’s foreign minister called the sanctions move “outrageous.” Britain has also regularly criticized Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the lack of aid reaching Gaza. 

 

On Sunday, Britain changed its travel guidance to urge against all but essential travel to Israel, and 10 Downing Street didn’t rule out the possibility of evacuating British nationals in the region.

 

Addressing the potential economic impact of the war, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said the UK is monitoring a jump in oil and other energy costs “very closely” even though prices remain below levels seen in previous months. The government is also concerned over the impact of the conflict on shipping routes, given the importance of the region to global trade, she added.   

 

“There is absolutely no complacency from me and the Treasury,” Reeves said in a BBC interview on Sunday.