Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticises UK government figures who accuse Britain of colonialism, telling them that Britain “invented the term,” according to reports. The remarks come as a separate dispute grows between the UK and Israel over the treatment of West Bank settlements.
The UK government announces a trade ban on products linked to what it describes as illegal West Bank settlements, a move that Jerusalem treats as politically provocative. Multiple outlets link Netanyahu’s comments to the broader diplomatic tension, framing his statements as part of a confrontation with UK positions on Israel and related historical accusations.
While the outlets emphasize the same central exchange—Netanyahu’s claim that Britain originated the term “colonialism”—they differ mainly in wording and degree of emphasis on the parallel policy row. One outlet foregrounds a “rant” framing of Netanyahu’s comments, while others focus more directly on his response to UK “colonialism” accusations. All accounts place the dispute in the context of escalating UK–Israel tensions over settlement-linked trade restrictions.
