British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has described Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza as a “proxy war” being waged on behalf of the United Kingdom. The statement, made during an interview with Sky News on Sunday, has triggered fresh debate over Western involvement in Middle Eastern and Eastern European conflicts.
Speaking in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent criticism of Western powers—including the UK, France, and Canada—for pressuring Israel to halt its Gaza offensive, Badenoch rejected accusations that Israel is committing genocide.
Instead, she defended Israel’s campaign against Hamas, suggesting it aligns with Britain’s strategic interests.
“Who funds Hamas? Iran – an enemy of this country. Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the UK,” Badenoch stated.
The Tory leader drew a parallel between the Gaza conflict and the war in Ukraine, which she also characterized as a Western proxy war aimed at countering Russian influence in Eastern Europe.
Her remarks quickly drew attention beyond Britain’s borders. The Russian Embassy in London reposted a clip from the interview on its social media platforms, applauding Badenoch for “finally calling a spade a spade.”
“Ukraine is indeed fighting a proxy war against Russia on behalf of Western interests,” the Embassy wrote in a Facebook post. “The illegitimate Kiev regime, created, financed and armed by the West, has been at it since 2014.”
The statement further accused Badenoch’s Conservative Party of obstructing peace efforts in 2022, resulting in “an unmitigated disaster for Ukraine and its people,” and escalating Europe’s security crisis.
Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed similar sentiments during a Senate hearing, calling the Ukraine war “a proxy war between nuclear powers – the United States, helping Ukraine – and Russia.”
Moscow has long maintained that the conflict in Ukraine is a U.S.-led proxy war, accusing NATO of ignoring Russian security concerns over its eastward expansion and Ukraine’s potential NATO membership.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently described the war as an “existential” battle against the “Collective West,” insisting that Russia now stands alone in resisting Western geopolitical maneuvers.
With tensions rising across multiple global theaters, Badenoch’s comments highlight growing recognition—both in Western capitals and among their adversaries—that today’s conflicts are increasingly being shaped by proxy dynamics, drawing in nations far beyond the immediate war zones.
About The Author
