Yair Netanyahu's Falklands Remarks Spark Unexpected Backlash from British Right

Comments by Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, supporting Argentina’s claim to the British-controlled Falkland Islands have generated an unexpected dispute with Britain’s right wing, traditionally one of the United Kingdom’s most reliable pro-Israel groups.

The younger Netanyahu engaged in the long-running territorial dispute over the South Atlantic archipelago by writing on X in Spanish: “The Falkland Islands belong to Argentina.” Britain and Argentina fought a war over the islands in 1982 and continue to dispute their sovereignty. In subsequent posts, he argued that Israel should support Argentina because the Argentinian government, led by far-right President Javier Milei, is more friendly to Israel, while accusing the UK of hypocrisy, hostility, and antisemitism over its recognition of Palestine.

His remarks drew swift pushback from British right-wing figures. Rupert Lowe, head of the far-right Restore Britain party, responded directly on X, asserting that the Falklands would remain British and criticizing Yair Netanyahu for interfering. Sir Conor Burns, a former MP with Britain’s Conservative Party, similarly called the comments stupid and damaging to Israel's standing on the British right. Far-right activist Tommy Robinson also reaffirmed British sovereignty over the Falklands online.

Security studies experts noted that the remarks risked alienating key defenders of Israel in Europe. While Israeli government officials have remained officially silent on the matter, the Falklands have occasionally surfaced in diplomatic discourse, with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar having previously invoked the islands during United Nations Security Council debates regarding the West Bank.