The UK has sanctioned Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians, triggering a fierce backlash from some of Israel’s strongest supporters, including US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
Huckabee has accused the British government of “Jew hate” while acknowledging that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is Jewish. Britain’s Chief Rabbi has also described the sanctions as a “dark day for British Jews.”
The controversy has reignited debate over the distinction between criticism of the Israeli government and antisemitism, with critics warning against conflating the actions of the Israeli state with Jewish people worldwide.
The UK government has condemned what it describes as violence and “ethnic cleansing” by extremist settlers, while Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
With settlement expansion continuing under Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, the sanctions have intensified questions over Britain’s response to settler violence - and whether opposition to Israeli government policy is being unfairly portrayed as hostility towards Jews.
Piers Morgan is joined by spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Doron Spielman, former Israeli ambassador to Canada, Ambassador Alan Baker, US-Israeli journalist Emily Schrader, author & host of the Owen Jones podcast, Owen Jones, and Palestinian-American journalist, Omar Baddar.
00:47 Introduction
04:36 Doron Spielman on Mike Huckabee settler sanction comments
07:43 Piers: "You’ve collectively punished Gaza for the acts of Hamas"
18:30 Was Netanyahu warned about Hamas attacks?
22:08 Panel join the show to discuss Israeli settlers
23:45 Owen Jones: "The endgame is for the West Bank to be rid of Palestinians"
27:04 Alan Baker: "Your claims about international law are wrong"
32:17 Omar: "We are dealing with people who are effectively ISIS"
39:21 Owen Jones accuses Alan of being the legal advisor to the Israeli Government
47:37 Claims Neta
