Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hard-line public security minister, had sparked a furious backlash from ministers after accusing Britain of having ‘violently’ stolen the territory
A far-right Israeli minister has been slapped down by the British Government after claiming the Falkland Islands is an “Argentine territory under occupation”.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel ’s hard-line public security minister, had sparked a furious backlash after accusing Britain of having “violently” stolen the territory.
Foreign Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said the Government “completely and utterly” rejects the claims, and there was “absolutely no doubt” that the future of the Falklands is for islanders to decide.
Speaking in the Commons, Dame Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee called out comments.
She said: “The Israeli minister Ben-Gvir has said that it is time for the State of Israel to publicly recognise the Falkland Islands as ‘Argentine territory under occupation’, and that we, the British, are not merely occupying the territory, but in carrying out oil drilling there, we are stealing money from the Argentine people.
“Do you think that he knows that the Argentine government agrees with him, and so as a result, have filed criminal complaints against Navitas Petroleum, which is, of course, an Israeli company?”.
Responding, Ms McNeill said: “We completely and utterly reject the characterisation that (Ms Thornberry) describes, because the UK supports the rights of Falkland Islands to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit because this is an absolutely integral part of their self-determination.”
“The decision by the Falkland Islands government to pursue hydrocarbon production is a commercial decision for them to take alongside the commercial companies involved.”
Posing on social media, the Israeli minister had said: “It’s time for the State of Israel to publicly recognize that the Malvinas Islands are Argentine territory under occupation, which the British violently steal from the Argentine people.”
Ms McNeill told MPs the UK Government remained in contact with the Argentine Government, and that they had made Britain’s position clear.
She added: “We are, of course, in regular ministerial and senior official engagement with Argentina, which is why I can say with such conviction they are in absolutely no doubt, and no member of this house should be in any doubt about the UK Government’s position: the future of the Falkland Islands is for Falkland Islanders to determine.”
It comes after Donald Trump claimed the US could “re-evaluate” its position on the Falkland Islands. In a 2013 referendum, the Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain a British overseas territory, with 99.8% voting in favour and just three votes against.