Prime Minister Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel provided British intelligence with information pointing to an Iran-backed attack, and that London responded with sanctions almost immediately. He called the situation 'pure madness.'
Prime Minister Netanyahu's characterization of the UK's sanctions response as 'pure madness' further amplified remarks he made in a Fox News interview broadcast earlier Thursday. In the interview, Netanyahu disclosed that Israel provided British intelligence with advance warning of an imminent Iran-backed attack — a plot that, as The Zioneer reported, is believed to have targeted the RAF Fairford base. He stated that London responded by imposing sanctions on Israel roughly a day later, calling the situation 'absurd.'
The latest phrasing, reported by multiple Israeli outlets Thursday morning, underscores the Prime Minister's ongoing frustration with the UK's response. The claim that the sanctions followed soon after an Israeli intelligence warning has been consistent since the interview was first aired. As The Zioneer detailed in its initial report at 08:28 Jerusalem, Netanyahu told Fox News host Sean Hannity that 'we gave the British intelligence that an attack — an Iran-backed attack — was about to occur, and almost the next day they imposed sanctions on us.'
The Prime Minister's office has not issued a separate statement on the matter, and no new details have emerged regarding the specific intelligence conveyed or the nature of the UK sanctions. The incident highlights the tension between intelligence cooperation and diplomatic measures, as the UK and other European allies have pursued sanctions against Israeli entities in recent months.
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