In a staggering display of moral cowardice, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a joint statement on 19 May 2025, lambasting Israel’s defensive war against Hamas as “wholly disproportionate” and threatening “concrete actions” if Israel does not halt its operations in Gaza and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid. This posturing, cloaked in the language of international law, is nothing short of a betrayal of a vital Western ally. By painting Israel as the aggressor in its existential fight against Hamas and Iran’s Islamist proxies, these leaders parrot the tired, leftist narratives peddled by the mainstream media (MSM) while ignoring the barbarity of the 7 October 2023 attack that sparked this conflict. Worse, their stance does not speak for the British people, who overwhelmingly support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism. This article exposes the hypocrisy of their position, challenges the MSM’s complicity, and reaffirms the moral clarity of standing with Israel against the forces seeking its destruction.
The Statement and Its Context
On 19 May 2025, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Mark Carney issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s military operations in Gaza, branding them “egregious” and “wholly disproportionate.” The trio demanded an immediate halt to Israel’s offensive, the lifting of aid restrictions deemed “unacceptable,” and renewed support for a two-state solution, pointing to a planned UN conference in June 2025. While the statement included a perfunctory call for Hamas to release hostages taken during its savage 7 October 2023 attack, its primary focus was unmistakable: Israel, not the terrorists, was the villain. This selective outrage glosses over the realities of a conflict ignited by Hamas’s unprovoked assault, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage, with 58 still in captivity, up to 23 believed alive. Israel’s response—a sustained campaign to dismantle Hamas’s terror infrastructure and secure the hostages—has involved intense operations in Gaza, including a controversial 11-week aid blockade, recently eased under pressure. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back, accusing the leaders of rewarding Hamas’s “genocidal” attack and undermining Israel’s right to self-defence. The statement’s skewed framing, which barely acknowledges Iran’s role in arming Hamas and its proxies, reveals a troubling willingness to appease terrorism while castigating a democratic ally.
Betrayal of an Ally
Israel stands as a cornerstone of Western security—a democratic bulwark against Islamist terrorism in a volatile region. Its intelligence-sharing and defence partnerships with the UK have thwarted countless threats, while its shared values of freedom and resilience make it an indispensable ally. Yet, the joint statement by Starmer, Macron, and Carney betrays this vital partner by falsely casting Israel as the aggressor in its existential struggle against Hamas and Iran’s proxies. The leaders’ condemnation of Israel’s “disproportionate” actions ignores the grim reality: Hamas embeds its rocket launchers and tunnels among civilians, using human shields to provoke casualties that fuel anti-Israel propaganda. Iran, the puppet-master behind Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, pours millions into arming these groups to encircle and destabilise Israel—a fact barely acknowledged in the statement. By focusing on Israel’s aid restrictions while downplaying Hamas’s theft of humanitarian supplies and its refusal to free hostages, the trio’s rhetoric distorts the conflict’s moral landscape. Their threat of “concrete actions”—from the UK’s suspension of trade talks to potential EU sanctions—weakens Israel’s ability to defend itself, emboldening terrorists and rewarding Iran’s aggression. This is not diplomacy; it is capitulation to a leftist narrative that vilifies Israel while excusing the barbarity of its enemies.
Disconnect from UK Public Sentiment
Keir Starmer’s alignment with Macron and Carney in condemning Israel does not speak for the British people, who largely reject the anti-Israel dogma peddled by the left. Polls consistently show significant UK support for Israel’s right to self-defence, with a YouGov survey from late 2023 indicating that 48% of Britons backed Israel’s actions against Hamas, compared to just 22% sympathizing with the Palestinian cause. This sentiment, rooted in a clear-eyed view of Hamas’s terrorism, clashes with Starmer’s posturing, which panders to a vocal progressive fringe. Within his own Labour Party, divisions are stark: hard-left MPs like Richard Burgon push for punitive measures such as ending arms sales and imposing sanctions, while moderates and Jewish community leaders decry Starmer’s shift as a betrayal of Labour’s historic pro-Israel stance. The Jewish Leadership Council has publicly criticized the statement, warning it risks alienating Britain’s Jewish community and emboldening anti-Semitism. By siding with international elites over the instincts of ordinary Britons, Starmer alienates centre-right voters and moderates who value the UK-Israel alliance and reject appeasement of terrorist groups like Hamas. His stance is not just a diplomatic misstep; it is a betrayal of the mainstream values that define Britain’s moral compass.
Mainstream Media’s Complicity
The mainstream media (MSM) has predictably amplified the anti-Israel narrative of Starmer, Macron, and Carney’s 19 May 2025 statement, cementing its role as a mouthpiece for leftist bias. Outlets like the BBC and The Guardian have churned out headlines framing Israel’s defensive operations as indiscriminate aggression, while barely mentioning Hamas’s use of civilians as human shields or its theft of humanitarian aid. A BBC report on 20 May 2025, for instance, devoted paragraphs to Israel’s “harsh” aid restrictions but offered scant coverage of Hamas’s rocket barrages or Iran’s funding of its terror network. Similarly, The Guardian’s editorial line consistently paints Israel as the sole obstacle to peace, sidestepping the fact that Hamas’s charter explicitly calls for Israel’s destruction. These outlets conveniently ignore critical realities: Hamas embeds its military infrastructure in schools and hospitals, forcing Israel into impossible choices in urban warfare, and Iran’s proxies, from Hezbollah to the Houthis, escalate regional instability with impunity. The MSM’s selective reporting buries these truths, perpetuating a narrative that vilifies Israel while excusing terrorism. Rightofcentre.uk stands apart, exposing these distortions and giving voice to the inconvenient facts sidelined by a press corps wedded to progressive orthodoxy.
Broader Implications
The joint statement by Starmer, Macron, and Carney does more than betray Israel—it risks emboldening terrorist groups and weakening the West’s resolve against global threats. By condemning Israel’s defensive actions while offering only token criticism of Hamas, the leaders send a dangerous message: terrorism pays. Hamas, propped up by Iran’s millions, will see this as a green light to escalate attacks, knowing Western elites may pressure Israel to stand down. Iran’s broader strategy—to encircle Israel through proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis—gains tacit legitimacy when its role is downplayed, undermining the West’s credibility in confronting Islamist extremism. The statement’s push for a two-state solution, while superficially noble, is dangerously naive. A Palestinian state under current conditions, with Hamas controlling Gaza and rejecting Israel’s existence, would likely become a terrorist stronghold, threatening not just Israel but regional stability. The UK, as a global leader, should be bolstering Israel’s fight against these threats, not capitulating to leftist pressures that misrepresent the conflict. Starmer’s alignment with this narrative prioritizes international posturing over national security, eroding Britain’s moral authority and emboldening those who seek to destabilise the free world.
Conclusion
The joint statement by Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Mark Carney is a shameful betrayal of Israel, a democratic ally fighting for its survival against Hamas and Iran’s Islamist proxies. By misrepresenting Israel’s defensive war as aggression, the trio parrots leftist narratives that distort the truth and embolden terrorism, while ignoring the British public’s support for Israel’s right to self-defence. Their stance, amplified by a complicit mainstream media, threatens not only Israel’s security but the West’s broader fight against extremist ideologies. Britons must reject this skewed framing and demand a foreign policy that stands unapologetically with Israel against the forces of barbarism. As Benjamin Netanyahu rightly framed it, this is a battle of civilisation over savagery—a fight the UK cannot afford to undermine. Readers should challenge the MSM’s distortions, support the UK-Israel alliance, and urge leaders to prioritise moral clarity over international posturing. The time for appeasement is over; Britain must lead with strength and principle.
