Rod Stewart has called on the UK to stop selling arms to Israel, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of wanting to “annihilate” Palestinians.
In an interview with the Radio Times ahead of his Legend’s slot performance at Glastonbury next weekend, Stewart spoke about how he had know Donald Trump “very, very well” when they lived close to each other.
Since Trump became president, Stewart has severed ties with him though. When he was asked if he would ever consider rekindling his friendship with the Republican, Sir Rod ruled this out whilst America continues to support Israel.
“No, I can’t anymore [talk to Trump],” he said. “As long as he’s selling arms to the Israelis — and he still is. How’s that war ever gonna stop?”
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Steward then called on the UK to stop supporting Israel, hitting out at the government for continuing to sell arms to them.
“We should stop selling them as well,” he said. “What [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is doing to the Palestinians is exactly what happened to the Jews. It’s annihilation, and that’s all he wants to do — get rid of them all. I don’t know how they sleep at night.”
A recent report from Oxfam found that the UK government has supplied millions of pounds worth of arms to Israel, issuing 100 new licences allowing UK companies to sell arms to the country between October 2023 and May 2024.
Whilst the government has suspended a small number of arms licences, hundreds still remain.