Israel has accused Sir Keir Starmer of ’emboldening the forces of terror’, which led to the failure to draw ‘moral red lines’ after a fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy workers in the United States.
The gunman shot young diplomat couple Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim after they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, police said on Wednesday night.
The attacker allegedly entered the building afterwards, shouting ‘Free Palestine,’ before being arrested.
In the aftermath, Israeli ministers pointed fingers at Western leaders, including Starmer, arguing that recent criticism of Israel’s military campaign and humanitarian blockade in Gaza has helped fuel violent sentiment.
It comes as Foreign Secretary David Lammy this week condemned the intensifying military campaign in Gaza as ‘morally indefensible’ and announced the UK would be halting trade negotiations with Israel.
Britain also introduced new sanctions targeting settlers in the West Bank and summoned the Israeli ambassador.
Israel’s foreign spokesman said that external pressure would ‘divert’ itself from ‘its path in defending its existence’.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, said in a post on social media: ‘I am shocked and heartbroken by the brutal murder of two members of the Israeli delegation in an antisemitic shooting attack in the heart of Washington, D.C.’
Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, pictured, said in a post on social media: ‘I am shocked and heartbroken by the brutal murder of two members of the Israeli delegation in an antisemitic shooting attack in the heart of Washington, D.C’
The Israeli minister added: ”French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have all, in different ways, emboldened the forces of terror through their failure to draw moral red lines’
He went on to thank President Trump after he condemned the attack before pointing fingers at the Canadian, French and British leaders.
He said: ‘French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have all, in different ways, emboldened the forces of terror through their failure to draw moral red lines.
‘This cowardice has a price – and that price is paid in Jewish blood.
‘We will continue to fight antisemitism everywhere – with clarity, courage, and zero tolerance.’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his British counterpart is on the ‘wrong side of humanity’ in a video shares on social media, in which he attacked the leaders of the UK, France and Canada for criticising his country’s approach was on the war in Gaza.
He linked the killings of Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim in Washington, D.C., to anti-semitic motives, asserting that the attacker targeted them specifically because they were Jewish.Â
He went on to say: ‘This is exactly the same chant we heard on October 7th.Â
‘On that day, thousands of terrorists stormed into Israel from Gaza.Â
Elias Rodriguez is the 30 year-old gunman suspected of murdering a young Israeli couple at the Jewish Museum in Washington DC on Wednesday night. He is pictured being arrested shortly after the killings
Rodriguez is pictured surrounded by police and security in the moments after Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were gunned down. Onlookers say they had no idea he was the suspect until he was arrested and allegedly confessed
Israeli embassy staffer Yaron Lischinsky and his girlfriend Sarah Milgrim were named as the tragic victims of the vile attack early on Thursday morning, which was condemned by President Donald TrumpÂ
It comes as Foreign Secretary David Lammy this week condemned the intensifying military campaign in Gaza as ‘morally indefensible’ and announced the UK would be halting trade negotiations with Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured, has said his British counterpart is on the ‘wrong side of humanity’ in a video shares on social media
‘They beheaded men. They raped women. They burned babies alive.Â
‘They butchered 1,200 innocent people and took 251 innocent people hostage to the dungeons of Gaza.’Â
He added: ‘For these neo-Nazis, ‘Free Palestine’ is just today’s version of ‘Heil Hitler.’
He mentioned how Hamas had thanked the leaders for calling for an end to the war and then pointed the finger at West saying: ‘I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others. They are now proposing to establish a Palestinian state and reward these murderers with the ultimate prize.’
In the video, he further states: ‘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.’
During a press conference this morning, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said: ‘There is a direct line connecting anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli incitement to this murder.’
He added: ‘This incitement is also done by leaders and officials of many countries and international organisations, especially from Europe.
Trucks load with humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip are seen at the Kerem Shalom Crossing in southern Israel, Tuesday May 20, 2025
Smoke billows above buildings in the northern Gaza Strip on May 19, 2025
Mr Lammy told the Commons: ‘Civilians in Gaza facing starvation, homelessness, trauma, desperate for this war to end.’
‘Their words are the modern blood libels. Blood libels about genocide, crimes against humanity and murdering babies paved the way exactly for such murders.
‘This is what happens when leaders in the world surrender to the Palestinian terrorist propaganda and serve it.’
On Monday, Britain, France and Canada threatened Israel with sanctions unless it relents on plans to expand military operations in the beleaguered Gaza Strip.
A joint statement from the leaders of the three countries cited the ‘intolerable’ level of human suffering and ‘denial of essential humanitarian assistance’ in a stark warning.
An 11-week blockade on food, fuel, water and medicine has pushed the decimated civilian population of Gaza to the brink of famine, experts continue to warn.
The leaders issued their most direct warning so far after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to take control of the entire Gaza Strip.
‘We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions,’ the statement read.Â
‘If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.’Â
‘We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism. But this escalation is wholly disproportionate,’ the statement continued, while reiterating calls for Hamas to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza since October 2023.
Hamas welcomed the joint statement describing the stance as ‘an important step’ in the right direction toward restoring the principles of international law.Â
But Netanyahu, who allowed ‘basic’ food into Gaza for ‘diplomatic reasons’ on Monday, gave a furious response in a statement released by his office.Â
The move to stop negotiations between the UL and Israel was criticised by Tory shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel, who argued it could be seen as a victory for Hamas, while others in the chamber voiced frustration that the measures did not go far enough.
Although Mr Lammy said the country suffered a ‘heinous attack’ on October 7 2023, and that Britain had supported its right to defend itself, but called the Israeli government’s path ‘morally unjustifiable’ and ‘utterly counterproductive’, which would not bring hostages home.
Shouts of ‘shame’ were heard in the Commons as Mr Lammy outlined remarks from an Israeli minister describing their latest military campaign as an effort which would be ‘cleansing Gaza,’ ‘destroying what’s left,’ and pushing for the relocation of Palestinians to ‘third countries.’
Dame Priti said: ‘Strong words will do little to resolve the real challenges that are taking place and the suffering we are seeing taking place day in, day out.’
She added that it ‘should be the cause of concern’ that the UK government’s actions had been ‘supported by Hamas, a terrorist organisation’.
