Netanyahu accuses Starmer over Washington shooting

Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Sir Keir Starmer and other world leaders of being on the wrong side” of justice, humanity and history after two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead in Washington DC.

- ALEX CROFT

The UK prime minister, French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian PM Mark Carney were “emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever”, the Israeli prime minister claimed, by giving them “hope to establish a second Palestinian state from which Hamas will again seek to destroy the Jewish state”.

Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, shot the young diplomat couple Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim from close range after they left an event at Washington’s Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night. The suspect, who was charged with murder last night, then walked into the building chanting “Free Palestine” before he was stopped by security staff and arrested.

On Monday, the UK, French and Canadian governments said in a joint statement they were committed to recognising a Palestinian state “as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution” to the war.

Mr Netanyahu said Hamas had thanked Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Carney for demanding that Israel end its war in Gaza immediately, claiming the three had shown they effectively wanted Hamas to remain in power.

He said in a video on social media: “I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer: When mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you’re on the wrong side of justice. You’re on the wrong side of humanity and you’re on the wrong side of history.”

The three leaders, Mr Netanyahu claimed, wanted Israel to stand down and accept that Hamas’s mass murderers would repeat the 7 October 2023 massacre.