In another punitive step against Israel, Britain has decided to bar IDF officers from studying at one of the kingdom’s most prestigious military academies. The Telegraph reported Sunday that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government will no longer allow Israelis to take part in programs at the Royal College of Defence Studies starting next year.
The British paper revealed an angry response letter sent by the Defense Ministry's director general, retired Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, who once served as deputy chief of staff and studied at the same London college. In the letter, excerpts of which were published, Baram said the decision represents “a profound disloyalty toward an ally at war.”
Baram also called the British boycott of IDF officers at the college “a discriminatory act” and “a disgraceful break with Britain’s proud tradition of tolerance and basic fairness.” He added that the decision comes at a time when Israel is “protecting international trade routes from Houthi aggression, preventing nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of an Islamist regime that calls for ‘Death to England,’ and fighting to bring home 48 hostages still held by Hamas.”
“The response of the establishment is to silence Israeli voices,” Baram wrote. “Frankly, excluding Israel is nothing less than an act of self-sabotage against Britain’s own security.”
According to the Telegraph, this is the first time since the college was founded in 1927 that Israelis have been banned. The institution was established nearly a century ago following a recommendation from a committee led by Winston Churchill, then colonial secretary, with the vision of fostering “understanding between senior military officers, diplomats, civil servants and officials.”
The British Defense Ministry justified the move by noting that the college’s courses all emphasize compliance with international law — a pointed reference to allegations that Israel is not adhering to it in its war in Gaza.
“The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong,” the ministry said in a statement. “There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now, with an immediate cease-fire, the return of the hostages, and a surge in humanitarian aid for Gaza residents.”
In recent months, Britain, along with several other European and Western countries, has ramped up political pressure on Israel, particularly after reports of famine in Gaza over the summer. That pressure already led Israel to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
The latest move adds to other punitive measures advanced by Starmer, who faces mounting pressure within Labour to act more forcefully against Israel. His government has already suspended 30 of Israel’s 350 export licenses for weapons and barred Israeli representatives from attending Britain’s largest defense exhibition, held last weekend.
Starmer is also expected later this month to recognize a Palestinian state, after declaring he would avoid doing so only if a Gaza cease-fire were reached and Israel pledged not to annex territory in the West Bank before the opening of the UN General Assembly next week. Alongside Britain, several other countries are expected to announce recognition of Palestinian statehood during the New York gathering.
Starmer faces domestic turmoil over far-right march
Starmer’s stance on Israel comes as he also navigates political turbulence at home. On Saturday, more than 150,000 people rallied in central London in a massive right-wing demonstration against immigration, marching under the slogan “Unite the Kingdom.” The protest, organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, saw participants waving England’s red-and-white St. George’s flag and the Union Jack — symbols that many in Britain now associate with extremism. Israeli flags were also visible in the crowd, likely in response to the many Palestinian flags displayed at pro-Gaza marches in the past two years.
The protests unfolded against the backdrop of anger over government-funded housing for asylum seekers in hotels and the rapid rise of Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK party, which now leads Labour and the Conservatives in several opinion polls.
Addressing the rally the following day, Starmer said Britain “will never hand over its flag to those who want to use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.” He said the flag represents “our diverse nation” and vowed that people would not be left feeling threatened in the streets “because of their background or the color of their skin.”
“People have the right to protest peacefully. That is fundamental to our values,” Starmer said. “But we will not tolerate attacks on police officers doing their duty, and we will not tolerate a situation where people feel unsafe.” British police said 26 officers were injured in clashes, four seriously, and 24 demonstrators were arrested.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle also condemned the rally, calling it “a wake-up call to those in power” to deal more forcefully with public concerns, including immigration. He criticized billionaire Elon Musk, who addressed the rally remotely and urged demonstrators to “fight back or die,” saying the comments were completely inappropriate.