Oliver Dowden has accused Israel of making “big mistakes” during the conflict in Gaza and insisted the UK government is “holding them to a very high standard”.
Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on the six month anniversary of the 7 October attacks, the deputy prime minister insisted the UK was not giving Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “carte blanche” over its actions, and was having “robust conversations” with them – especially in light of the killing of three UK aid workers last week.
But he said the Jewish community were living in “a state of existential threat” since the Hamas attacks, and we should understand “the trauma it is still suffering”.
Politics live: Dowden denies giving ‘carte blanche’ to Israel
Mr Dowden also accused people of “relishing” the debate over whether the UK should continue to sell arms to Israel and publish its legal advice amid growing criticism of its conduct in Gaza and questions about whether it has breached international law.
He refused to reveal the advice given to the government, saying it was an “ongoing process” and it would remain “confidential”.
But the deputy prime minister said any halt in sales was a decision for Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, on the advice of Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, and he had “not changed [his] advice” yet.
He told Trevor Phillips: “We have a process to go through in respect of arms… [but] it does worry me, and I want to chose my words carefully ,but the manner in which some people are seizing on this issue and trying to hold Israel to incredibly high standards.
“Of course it is right we hold Israel to high standards, but I just think there is a bit of relish from some people about the way in which they are pushing this case against Israel.”
Asked if he meant there was a level of antisemitism in the debate, Mr Dowden said: “I wouldn’t go so far as that.
“But I think it goes right back to the beginning point. I think there are many people in the Jewish community, in Israel, who have just been expecting this shift in approach to Israel.
“We should think back to how Israel was on the day of that attack, the trauma it is still suffering. Of course Israel has made mistakes and made big mistakes and we should hold them to account for that, but we are holding them to a very high standard.”
Source Agencies
