Badenoch must answer for the Tories' blanket support for Israel

Kemi Badenoch, the UK Conservative Party leader, must face scrutiny over her unconditional backing for Israel, despite the ongoing genocide against Palestinians. The Conservative Party's staunch alliance with the Netanyahu regime has been condemned by many British voters, with 62 percent opposing Israel's military actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced the "Islamic Republic of Britain" and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has criticized Miliband for his "patronising tone".

A majority of British voters want to end all arms sales to Israel, but Badenoch's party continues to support her. In fact, she has never seriously criticized Israel over Gaza, settler pogroms, or incursions into Lebanon. Her admiration for Israel is so strong that she has even condemned Nigel Farage for not being supportive enough.

Badenoch's stance on Israel marks a sharp departure from traditional Tory policy. While Margaret Thatcher denounced massacres in Lebanon as "pure barbarism", Badenoch echoes Netanyahu's claim that Israel is fighting a battle for western civilisation. She has also mocked international law and ignored facts about Israel's lack of protection for women and minorities.

Badenoch's position may be constrained by her role as business and trade secretary in Sunak's government, which meant she was responsible for approving arms sales to Israel. If the International Court of Justice determines that Israel committed genocide, this could incriminate her and other senior Tories. Badenoch's unconditional support for Israel makes the Conservatives an outlier among European centre-right parties.