Yair Netanyahu Sides with Argentina on Falkland Islands

Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has drawn fire from British conservatives after taking a hard line on the Falkland Islands. He accused the United Kingdom of hypocrisy and sided with Argentina's claim to the South Atlantic archipelago. This stance upset one of Britain's most reliable pro-Israel groups.

The younger Netanyahu posted in Spanish last week: "The Falkland Islands belong to Argentina." That statement touched on a decades-old territorial dispute between London and Buenos Aires. A war broke out over the islands in 1982, and sovereignty remains contested today. In follow-up messages, he argued Israel should back Argentina because President Javier Milei's government is friendlier toward Tel Aviv. He also lashed out at Westminster for recognizing Palestine, labeling it hypocrisy, hostility, antisemitism, and blood libels.

His words arrived just days before Donald Trump, a close ally of Milei, said the US was reviewing its position on the Falklands. While Yair likely aimed his barbs at Labour's mixed centre-left leadership, right-wing British figures were not amused. Rupert Lowe, head of the far-right Restore Britain party, fired back immediately on X. He insisted the islands would remain British and added that a future government led by his party would go to war if needed to secure them. "You have enough problems to be focusing on in Israel," Lowe wrote. He demanded clarity from the Israeli government on this specific issue.

Polling data suggests Restore Britain has very little sway. YouGov found only 3 percent of voters would choose the party in a general election held tomorrow. Sir Conor Burns, a former Conservative MP, called Yair's remarks stupid and warned they could damage Israel's standing with British conservatives. Tommy Robinson, formerly known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is another vocal backer of Israel who shared a post on X calling British sovereignty over the Falklands a true fact without mentioning the Israeli premier.

Experts say this incident highlights growing friction in Europe. Rob Geist Pinfold, a security studies lecturer at King's College London, told Al Jazeera that Yair has caused consternation among Israel's self-declared friends. "Yair Netanyahu has antagonised the constituency in Britain most inclined to defend Israel," he said. Geist Pinfold noted that while not an official, Yair is alleged to have significant behind-the-scenes power thanks to Benjamin Netanyahu's increasingly autocratic leadership style.

James Vaughan, a lecturer at Aberystwyth University, pointed out that remarks like these can alienate parts of the British right, though that bloc is never fully united. Mainstream conservatives generally support Israel, yet elements of the extreme right have historically acted as an anti-Israel force in UK politics. Vaughan noted signs that Restore Britain might be reverting to older, anti-Semitic traditions. Last year, Lowe told a reporter about a camera filming him: "In days gone by you'd call it a Jewish camera, but that would be politically incorrect. Because it's so small." He has also called for bans on both kosher and halal meat.

Yair Netanyahu has pushed back against claims he holds anti-Semitic views. Meanwhile, silence falls over the rest of the Israeli leadership. No government figure has publicly backed his stance on the Falklands yet. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar used to bring up the islands during a United Nations Security Council debate in February. He defended Israel's settlement policy in the occupied West Bank at that time.

Saar told then-British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper that the settlements sat "in the cradle of our own civilisation". He contrasted them sharply with the distant Falklands. "It is our country; it's not 13,000 kilometres away from our country, like the Falkland Islands," he said. He added that Argentinians call them the Malvinas and noted a dispute remains unresolved with Argentina today.

Vaughan highlighted how the Falklands have long strained UK-Israel relations, especially in the early 1980s when Israel sold arms to Argentina. "The fact that the current Israeli government is once again 'playing the Falklands card' is of little consequence in and of itself," Vaughan told Al Jazeera. He suggested it likely reveals more about the shaky state of friendly ties between Israel and Argentina than anything else.

Israeli officials often shift focus to other territorial grievances when facing criticism over their occupation of Palestinian land. On July 31, Spanish authorities dealt with a surge of people rushing into Ceuta near the Moroccan border. Israeli ambassador Danny Danon then goaded Spain about keeping African enclaves. "Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it's time it explained to the world why it [Spain] still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa," Danon posted on X.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza. Madrid has since imposed sweeping measures, including a total arms embargo against Israel. Like the UK and other European nations, Spain also recognizes Palestinian statehood.

Strong historical bonds between Israel and Britain are showing cracks under Labour, which took power in 2024. Under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the UK paused free-trade talks with Israel and suspended some arms export licenses. The government has also sanctioned far-right cabinet members Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Andy Burnham is now considering further steps regarding illegal Israeli settlements. As relations sour, Israeli officials have mocked the UK. Prime Minister Netanyahu recently called the nation the "Islamic Republic of Britain". Vaughan said the Falklands issue returning to view indicates underlying tensions rooted in fundamental disagreements over Gaza, the West Bank, and wider Middle Eastern conflicts.