Israeli government spokesman resigns amid row over UK public criticism

JERUSALEM

Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy resigned on Sunday amid a row over his public criticism of British Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

His resignation came three weeks after he was suspended following a complaint by the British Foreign Office about a tweet in which he responded to Cameron’s remarks about humanitarian aid to Gaza.

On his X account, Levy changed his bio to “Former Israeli Government Spokesman.”

“You don’t need to be a spokesperson to speak up for Israel,” he said.

On March 8, Cameron said: “We continue to urge Israel to allow more trucks into Gaza as the fastest way to get aid to those who need it.”

The Israeli spokesman responded on X by saying: “I hope you (British Minister Cameron) are also aware there are NO limits on the entry of food, water, medicine, or shelter equipment into Gaza, and in fact the crossings have EXCESS capacity.”

“Test us. Send another 100 trucks a day to Kerem Shalom and we’ll get them in,” Levy added.

In an interview with The Times of Israel on Sunday, Levy said he found it “difficult to believe” that his suspension was “really about the tweet to David Cameron because I tweeted government policy and facts.”

“I definitely think that one of the lessons that will have to be learned for the next war — please God, there won’t be a next war — is improving our response to crisis communications.”

His resignation came as Israel continued its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas, which killed some 1,200 people.

Nearly 32,800 Palestinians have since been killed and 75,300 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which on Thursday asked Israel to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala