British journalist Piers Morgan called Benjamin Netanyahu an “idiot” after the Israeli prime minister dubbed the UK “the Islamic republic of Britain.”
The prime minister made the remarks in a podcast interview, where he also described the country as the “first Islamic republic to get a nuclear weapon.”
Piers Morgan shared a clip of Netanyahu’s podcast appearance with the caption calling him an idiot.
Hundreds of Britons also lashed out at the Israeli prime minister for his outrageous remarks against their country.
According to The Guardian, his comments, made during an interview for Israel’s army radio, played into a common far-right Islamophobic trope about Britain’s small Muslim population.
Netanyahu praised positive coverage of Israel by the journalist Randolph Churchill, the son of former prime minister Winston Churchill, over half a century ago, then said: “Go find that in today’s Britain, in what is called the Islamic republic of Britain.”
Rather than challenge Netanyahu’s comments, the host questioned whether he is unfairly singling out the UK, asking: “Isn’t all of Europe is like that?”
Netanyahu replies by doubling down. “Yes, but you know someone said the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons will be the Islamic republic of Britain.”
