Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the United Kingdom an “Islamic republic” and reiterated his claim that it could become “the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons.” The British government called his statements “absolutely unacceptable” and said it had raised the issue with Israeli authorities.
This statement was made on an Israeli Army Radio podcast, an episode of which was published on August 13, 2026. Speaking about the shift in attitudes toward Israel in the United Kingdom, Netanyahu used the phrase “Islamic Republic of Britain.” The host then asked him whether something similar was happening throughout Europe. The prime minister answered in the affirmative and cited a phrase previously used by someone else describing Britain as the future “first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons.”
However, the widely held interpretation that Netanyahu himself predicted Britain’s transformation into an Islamic nuclear republic is not entirely accurate. He did not present this phrase as his own prediction but explicitly stated that “someone had said” it. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer later told the BBC that Netanyahu was referring to current U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who made a similar statement back in 2024.
Vance said at the time that the United Kingdom could become the first “truly Islamist country with nuclear weapons.” However, he himself made a caveat regarding Pakistan.
The very claim about the “first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons” is historically inaccurate. Pakistan is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and has possessed nuclear weapons since the late 1990s.
London’s reaction was harsh. A British government spokesperson stated that Netanyahu’s comments were unacceptable and that this issue had already been raised during discussions with the Israeli side.
The remarks came amid deteriorating relations between Israel and a number of European countries. In the interview itself, the host broadened the question to include Europe as a whole, to which Netanyahu responded in the affirmative.
According to the latest assessment by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026, as of January 2026, nine states possessed or, as in the case of Israel, were considered to possess a total of approximately 12,187 nuclear warheads. About 9,745 of these were in military stockpiles and could potentially be used.
In order from the largest arsenal to the smallest:
Russia — about 5,459 warheads
United States — about 5,083
China—about 620
France—about 290
United Kingdom—about 225
India—about 190
Pakistan—about 170
Israel—about 90
North Korea—about 60
These are estimates of the total number of nuclear warheads, not just those deployed. The exact sizes of the arsenals are state secrets, so SIPRI emphasizes that the figures are approximate. Russia and the U.S. together continue to control about 86% of all nuclear warheads in the world.
China’s arsenal is growing particularly rapidly at the moment: SIPRI estimates it at approximately 620 warheads, up from 600 a year earlier. India has increased its estimated stockpile to 190, and North Korea, according to the institute’s assessment, may have assembled about 60 warheads and possesses fissile material for at least several dozen more.
The United Kingdom, at the center of the current diplomatic scandal, is estimated by SIPRI to have approximately 225 nuclear warheads. London has stopped publishing detailed data on the size of its operational nuclear stockpile, and British strategy provides for the possibility of increasing it.
ISRAEL, Netanyahu, nuclear weapons, PAKISTAN, UNITED KINGDOM
According to The Serbian Economist, the remains of Shimon and Rivka Herzl, the grandparents of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism, have been transported from Serbia to Israel for reburial on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
The reburial in Jerusalem is scheduled for August 5—the 77th anniversary of the transfer of Herzl’s own remains to Jerusalem. Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to attend the ceremony.
Shimon and Rivka Herzl were buried for nearly a century and a half at the Jewish cemetery in Zemun, which is now part of Belgrade.
According to Jacob Hagoel, chairman of the World Zionist Organization, the reburial fulfills Herzl’s last wish, as he wanted his family to be laid to rest within the borders of the Jewish state once it was established.
Following the reburial of his grandparents, the graves of nearly all of Herzl’s closest family members will be located next to his. The remains of Herzl himself, his parents, and his sister were transported from Vienna to Jerusalem in 1949. His two children were reburied there in 2006, and his only grandson in 2007.
Theodor Herzl was born in Budapest in 1860. In 1878, his family moved to Vienna, where he studied law but later turned to journalism and literature.
In 1896, Herzl published the book *The Jewish State*, in which he outlined a political program for the creation of an independent state for the Jewish people. In August 1897, he convened the First Zionist Congress in Basel, at which the World Zionist Organization was founded. Herzl led the organization until his death in 1904.
Herzl died 44 years before the proclamation of the State of Israel in 1948. In accordance with his will, he was initially buried next to his father in Vienna, but on the condition that, once a Jewish state was established, the family’s remains would be transferred to its territory. In August 1949, Herzl was reburied in Jerusalem on a mountain that was later named after him.
https://t.me/relocationrs/3376
The US embassies in Israel and a number of other Middle Eastern countries have advised US citizens to consider leaving the region due to the risk of unforeseen escalation and possible disruptions to air travel.
“Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security situation remains challenging, and the possibility of an unforeseen escalation persists,” according to warnings issued on 1 August by US diplomatic missions.
US citizens already in the region are advised to exercise increased caution and be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and other travel restrictions.
“Americans in the region should consider leaving or be prepared to leave in the event of an escalation,” the statement notes. Americans outside the Middle East are advised to seriously reconsider any plans to travel to or transit through the region.
Similar warnings have been issued by US embassies and diplomatic missions in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Iraq. The diplomatic missions continue to provide routine consular and visa services.
The US Embassy in Jordan has additionally advised Americans to stay away from military bases in the country. The advisory also states that Iran and groups it supports may attack US interests and facilities abroad.
On 22 July, the US State Department issued a global travel advisory, urging Americans to exercise increased caution due to tensions in the Middle East. At that time, the department also warned of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and disruptions at airports.
In other words, the US authorities have not ordered the mandatory evacuation of all citizens from Israel and other countries in the region. The advice is to make use of available commercial transport routes or to prepare an exit plan in advance in case the situation deteriorates further.
An exhibition titled “WHERE HOME IS” by Zoe Sever, an Israeli artist of Ukrainian descent, has opened at the Taras Shevchenko National Museum in Kyiv with the support of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine.
“Zoya Sever’s exhibition shows Israel as we know and love it—vibrant, colorful, warm, and full of life. I encourage everyone to visit this exhibition and experience the atmosphere of Israel,” said Michael Brodsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine, during the exhibition’s opening.
The artist brought to Ukraine a selection of works created in her signature style using the vibrant colors of oil and acrylic. Each painting conveys an impression or memory, an image of the city, its atmosphere, and its inner magic.
Sever’s works feature the rooftops of Jerusalem, black and white cats, the streets of the Old City, and the biblical white donkey as a symbol of eternity. The central theme of the exhibition is the home as a place of strength, memory, and return.
The organizers note that for Jews, even after two thousand years of diaspora, Israel remained a point of anchor—a home that needed to be reclaimed and restored. In the exhibition, this theme is combined with the experience of Ukraine, which today is also fighting for its own home, a peaceful sky, and the right to a future.
“This exhibition unites us—Ukrainians and Israelis, soldiers and artists, dreamers and pragmatists. Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Those who stand on the front lines for the sake of their own home,” reads the project description.
Zoya Sever is an Israeli artist who was born in Lviv. At age 16, she moved to Israel with her parents; she currently lives and works in Tel Aviv. She graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem with a degree in architecture.
After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sever joined a volunteer group that provides protective gear to soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. She is also the founder of the “United People of the Planet” foundation, which runs the “Window to Peace” project: the artist, together with children, paints the walls of shelters.
Sever is also an instructor for the “Trauma Coalition” in Ukraine. Her works are held in museums and private collections in Israel, the United States, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan.
Ukraine today is, in many ways, following the path that Israel has taken over the 78 years of its existence, said the Israeli ambassador to Ukraine during a ceremony marking Israel’s Independence Day.
“There are few countries in the world that understand each other better than Israel and Ukraine. In recent years, air raid sirens have often sounded simultaneously in Israel and Ukraine,” the ambassador said, addressing representatives of the Ukrainian government, the diplomatic corps, and Israel’s partners in Ukraine.
According to him, Ukraine’s successes in developing defense technologies “cannot fail to impress.”
The diplomat noted that the past year has been difficult for both countries, particularly for bilateral relations.
“The relationship between our countries is very close and often resembles a family bond. As in any family, difficulties sometimes arise, and we occasionally need the help of a ‘family therapist,’” he said.
The ambassador emphasized that in diplomacy, as in medicine, the principle of “do no harm” is crucial. According to him, during his nearly five years of service in Ukraine, he has strived to adhere to this principle.
In his speech, the diplomat also mentioned Golda Meir, who was born in Kyiv, and quoted one of her famous phrases: “Pessimism is a luxury that Jews can never afford.”
“Today, this applies equally to both Israelis and Ukrainians. I admire the resilience of our peoples, their ability to remain optimistic despite everything,” the ambassador noted.
He expressed confidence that, despite wars and terror, Israel and Ukraine will remain free and independent.
The diplomat also announced that his term in Ukraine is coming to an end in the near future.
“To say that this term has been special is an understatement. And yet, I regret only one thing: that peace has not come before the end of my work in Ukraine. I appeal to those on whom this depends: you still have three months. Now is the time to intensify these efforts,” he said.
The ambassador thanked the staff of the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine for their work in preserving and developing Israeli-Ukrainian relations, as well as partners and organizations that support cooperation between the two countries, including Nativ, Keren Kayemet LeIsrael, Keren HaYesod, Keren HaYedidut, the Joint, and Sohnut.
He also expressed his gratitude to the participants in the organization of the gala evening, including Honorary Consuls Oleg Vishnyakov and Andriy Rykota, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Israel Ofer Kerzner, President of the Benish Group Haim Benesh, President of the Ukrainian Mineral Waters Corporation Hanna Kotlyarevska, and MTB Bank.
Israel celebrates Independence Day as the country’s main national holiday. In 2026, Israel will mark the 78th anniversary of the declaration of independence.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the State of Israel were established on December 26, 1991, shortly after Ukraine’s declaration of independence. The Embassy of Ukraine in Tel Aviv began operations in October 1992, and the Embassy of Israel in Kyiv was opened in 1993. Since then, the countries have been developing political dialogue, humanitarian, cultural, and economic cooperation, as well as maintaining active ties between Ukrainian and Israeli societies.
The results of a public opinion poll conducted in March 2026 by the research firm Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center indicate a noticeable deterioration in Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Israel. The share of positive assessments fell from 44.7% in August 2025 to 38.7%, while negative attitudes rose from 13.7% to 19.8%.
In the breakdown of responses, only 12.6% of respondents chose the “completely positive” option, and another 26.1% selected “mostly positive.” At the same time, 38.2% of those surveyed took a neutral stance, indicating a significant proportion of citizens who do not have a clearly formed attitude or refrain from making assessments.
The negative segment shows growth due to both moderate and sharply critical assessments. The share of “mostly negative” attitudes is 14.7%, and “completely negative” is 5.1%. This means that nearly one in five Ukrainians views Israel negatively, which is one of the highest rates among the countries surveyed. Another 3.3% of respondents were undecided.
The dynamics of change between the two waves of the survey indicate not only a decline in positive sentiment but also a shift of some respondents into the negative segment. This distinguishes the situation from other countries, where a decline in positive sentiment is often accompanied by an increase in neutrality rather than criticism.
“These results show that attitudes toward individual countries are highly sensitive to the foreign policy context and the information landscape. When society develops a contradictory or ambiguous perception of the state’s actions, this is quickly reflected in an increase in negative assessments. At the same time, a high level of neutrality means that a significant portion of Ukrainians have not yet formed a definitive position,” noted Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Thus, in the perception of Ukrainians, Israel is moving into the group of countries with a more polarized image. The combination of a high proportion of neutral responses with a rise in negative sentiment indicates the instability of public opinion, which may change under the influence of future events and information signals.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center based on data from the State Customs Service, Israel ranks 29th in total trade volume with Ukraine, with a figure of $714.7 million. Imports from Israel slightly exceed Ukrainian exports, resulting in a moderately negative bilateral trade balance.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, ISRAEL, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
