Israel has officially condemned remarks by a British government minister about the country’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Tzipi Hotovely.
We strongly protest Minister Falconer’s comments regarding Ambassador Hotovely. Remarks about “political taste” have no place in discussions concerning ambassadors. This is not what we expect from a friendly country such as the UK. pic.twitter.com/zB2lFnuv5m
— Oren Marmorstein (@OrenMarmorstein) January 9, 2025
On Thursday, Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X: “We strongly protest Minister Falconer’s comments regarding Ambassador Hotovely. Remarks about ‘political taste’ have no place in discussions concerning ambassadors.”
Marmorstein added that: “This is not what we expect from a friendly country such as the UK.”
On Tuesday in Parliament, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer, was responding to MPs following an Urgent Question on regarding Israel’s military operations in northern Gaza.
He was asked by John McDonnell MP, formerly Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow chancellor, “Why are we not expelling the Israeli ambassador?”
Falconer rejected the call but said: “It is tempting to think that, if only we had representatives who were more to our taste politically, things would be easier.”
He continued: “There is a clear disagreement between the British and Israeli governments about the conduct of the war in Gaza and the humanitarian implications that flow from it. We will continue to make that disagreement clear through all channels”.
Reacting to the Israeli announcement, shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel called on Falconer to “apologise to Ambassador Hotovely for his disrespectful comments towards our friend and ally”.
She continued: his government must work harder to address and influence the concerning issues in Gaza, rather than weakening Britain’s influence in the Middle East.”
This incident isn’t the first social media spat involving Israel and Labour government ministers.
In December last year, Foreign Secretary David Lammy came under fire for posting a letter on social media that the UK along with France and Germany had “written to the Israeli government to urge action on the unacceptable humanitarian situation in Gaza”.
Lammy had been criticised by some for – just a few hours before sending his critical tweet – posing for a photo with Mandy Damari, whose 28-year-old daughter Emily is being held hostage by Hamas.
Marmorstein said at the time that it was: “disappointing that the Foreign Ministers of the E3 [UK, France, Germany] failed to address the October 7 massacre and the daily attacks on Israeli civilians since then in their letter.”
And went on to say that the letter “will be answered through the proper official channels (not via Twitter).”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for comment.