America’s ambassador to Israel has publicly ridiculed a British Cabinet minister after she claimed the United Kingdom played a “key role” in securing the Gaza ceasefire, dismissing her assertion as fantasy.
Mike Huckabee, appointed by President Donald Trump earlier this year and a member of the US negotiating team, took the extraordinary step of branding Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson “delusional” after she insisted Britain had been influential in peace efforts behind the scenes.
The diplomatic row erupted on Sunday as Ms Phillipson defended the UK’s contribution to ending the conflict during television interviews, just hours before Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was due to fly to Egypt for a signing ceremony alongside Mr Trump and other world leaders.
Conflicting Claims
Ms Phillipson told Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that Britain had shaped the peace agreement through complex diplomatic engagement. “We have played a key role behind the scenes in shaping this,” the Education Secretary stated. “It is right that we do so because it is in all our of interests, including our own national interest, that we move to a lasting peace in the region.”
When pressed to provide specific details about Britain’s involvement, Ms Phillipson offered only vague reassurances. “These are complex matters of diplomacy that we are involved in,” she said. “But we do welcome and recognise the critical role the American Government played in leading us to this point.”
Mr Huckabee, who served as Arkansas governor before joining the Trump administration’s Middle East team, responded swiftly and bluntly on social media platform X. “I assure you she’s delusional,” the ambassador wrote. She can thank Donald Trump anytime just to set the record straight.
Israeli Rebuke
The embarrassment for the British Government deepened when Israel’s deputy foreign minister also rejected Ms Phillipson’s characterisation of events.
Sharren Haskel told Sky News she would “have to contradict” the Education Secretary’s words, accusing Britain of actually undermining peace prospects by emboldening Hamas through its recent recognition of Palestinian statehood.
“The Government of the UK, Macron’s plan, the whole conversation about declaring a Palestinian state, we disagree with you,” Ms Haskel stated. “Unfortunately, with the declaration of the Palestinian state during a very sensitive time two months ago when the teams were already around the table negotiating, when we truly believe we are able to reach a deal, the message that the UK Government sent Hamas was the message that the longer they continue this war, they will be rewarded.”
Britain joined France, Australia, Canada and other nations last month in formally recognising Palestinian statehood, a largely symbolic gesture that ministers said was intended to safeguard prospects for a two-state solution.
Domestic Criticism
The public dispute between British and American officials threatens to overshadow Sir Keir’s attendance at Monday’s summit in Sharm El Sheikh, where he will join Mr Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and leaders from approximately 20 countries for a formal signing ceremony.
Downing Street said the Prime Minister would pay “particular tribute” to Mr Trump and regional partners Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for “bringing us to this point” before calling for swift progress towards the second phase of the peace plan.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel dismissed Sir Keir’s Egypt trip as a mere “photo opportunity” during a BBC interview on Sunday.
“I think we have to be honest about the fact that Britain has had no role, no role whatsoever, under Keir Starmer’s Government, in even getting to this very seismic and momentous moment,” the Conservative politician stated. I think it’s extraordinary that Keir Starmer apparently is going to Egypt tomorrow when we’ve got plenty of domestic issues that he should be resolving.
The Ceasefire Deal
The fragile truce came into effect on Friday following three days of intensive negotiations in Sharm El Sheikh between Israeli and Hamas delegations, mediated by the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.
Under the first phase of Mr Trump’s 20-point plan, Israel has begun withdrawing troops from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis and northern areas. The remaining hostages held by Hamas, alongside the remains of deceased captives, are scheduled for release by Monday morning in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Twenty Israeli hostages are believed to still be alive, with 26 declared dead and the fate of two others unknown. The hostages and bodies are expected to be handed over as early as Monday, with the prisoner exchange completing the initial phase of the agreement.
Mr Trump announced the breakthrough on Wednesday night following intensive negotiations, hailing the deal as potentially establishing “a lasting peace, hopefully an everlasting peace” in the Middle East.
Trump’s Peace Framework
The American president’s ambitious plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza along its border. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would assume responsibility for security within the enclave.
Approximately 200 US troops have arrived in Israel to establish a centre facilitating humanitarian aid flows and providing security assistance, though American forces will not deploy on the ground in Gaza itself.
The Israeli military has confirmed it will continue operating defensively from roughly half of Gaza under its control after pulling back to agreed-upon positions.
Britain has stated it has no plans to contribute ground troops to the multinational stabilisation force.
Blair’s Controversial Role
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair emerged as a potentially pivotal figure in Gaza’s post-war reconstruction. Mr Blair met with Hussein Al-Sheikh, deputy chief of the Palestinian Authority, on Sunday to discuss implementation of Mr Trump’s framework.
The Palestinian vice president confirmed on social media that discussions had centred on readiness to work with President Trump, Mr Blair and other partners to secure aid delivery, hostage and prisoner releases, and begin recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Mr Blair has been proposed as a key member of Mr Trump’s “Board of Peace”, an international body that would oversee transitional governance of Gaza until the Palestinian Authority undergoes sufficient reforms to assume control.
When asked whether Sir Tony had consulted Sir Keir before agreeing to this potential role, Ms Phillipson said: “I’m afraid I simply can’t answer that question. What I do know is what happens in the next phase of the peace process that needs to take place will be a matter for the Americans, for the Israelis and for others.”
The prospect of Mr Blair playing a central role has provoked mixed reactions. Whilst the former prime minister possesses extensive Middle East experience, including a stint as special envoy to the Quartet between 2007 and 2015, his legacy remains deeply divisive, particularly his controversial decision to join America’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The Human Cost
The conflict was triggered when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages.
In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but estimates around half the deaths were women and children.
Many international human rights organisations and a United Nations commission have described Israel’s military campaign as genocide, though Israel vigorously rejects this characterisation.
Fragile Prospects
As tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians make the journey northward to their destroyed homes, aid trucks have been gathering at Egyptian crossings ready to enter Gaza after months of warnings from humanitarian groups about famine conditions in parts of the territory.
French President Emmanuel Macron will join Sir Keir and other world leaders at Monday’s Sharm El Sheikh summit, the Élysée Palace confirmed on Saturday.
The signing ceremony represents a critical juncture in efforts to end one of the bloodiest chapters in Israeli-Palestinian history since the establishment of the Israeli state. However, longer-term agreements, including Hamas’s potential disarmament, Gaza’s future governance and interim security arrangements, have been deferred to subsequent negotiations.
Observers have cautioned that whilst the initial phase of the deal appears relatively straightforward, subsequent phases involving these intractable issues will test the resolve of mediators like Mr Trump to maintain momentum towards lasting peace.
The public spat between British and American officials over who deserves credit for the ceasefire has injected an awkward note of discord into what should be a moment of diplomatic celebration, potentially complicating Britain’s ability to play a meaningful role in future negotiations.
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Image Credit:
Mike Huckabee — photo by Gage Skidmore, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
