Diplomatic gloves are off as Huckabee attacks Starmer

Washington’s ambassador to Israel tells the prime minister to sit this one out’ after his criticism of Israel’s plans for Gaza

- WILL DURRANT HOLLY BANCROFT

Britain would have lost the Second World War and would be speaking German if Sir Keir Starmer had been running the country at the time, the US ambassador to Israel has said in a stinging attack.

Condemning the prime minister's criticism of Israel's plan for a full military takeover of Gaza, Mike Huckabee wrote on social media: "So Israel is expected to surrender to Hamas and feed them even though Israeli hostages are being starved? Did UK surrender to Nazis and drop food to them?" In a post on X on Friday, Mr Huckabee wrote: "Ever heard of Dresden, PM Starmer? That wasn't food you dropped. If you had been PM then UK would be speaking German!".

In a follow-up post, the US ambassador to Israel suggested Sir Keir "ought to sit this one out".

Mr Huckabee was responding to Sir Keir's statement that Israel's decision to pursue its plan to take control of Gaza city was "wrong".

Sir Keir said that the Israeli government's plans would "do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages".