Emily Thornberry Outraged After Israeli Minister Secretly Films Her – Demands Immediate Action

Emily Thornberry has hit out after being secretly recorded during a visit to the Israeli parliament, with the unauthorized footage later posted online by Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel. The chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee has now called on UK ministers to intervene, demanding answers on why the video was taken without her knowledge or consent and then used to paint her in a negative light.

Speaking at a committee meeting on Tuesday, she confronted Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer about the incident, asking if he would expect foreign politicians visiting Westminster to be secretly recorded. Falconer was taken aback, responding, “Certainly not. I think that’d be very unusual”, reported the National Scot.

Thornberry didn’t hold back, highlighting how the footage had not only been posted to Instagram but also shared with The Daily Telegraph, where it was framed in a way that ridiculed her. She argued that if a British minister had done the same to an Israeli official visiting the UK, it would have been seen as deeply disrespectful.

“We had no knowledge that it was being videoed and assumed, of course, that it would never happen,” she fumed. “To say that I’m cross might be an understatement.”

She went on to describe how tensions had already been high during the trip, with members of the Knesset making what she called “provocative and insulting” remarks. Despite this, she insisted the UK delegation had remained professional and restrained, only for this latest revelation to push things to “another level.”

Calling on the Foreign Office to investigate, she urged officials to demand an explanation from Israel, ensure the video is taken down, and insist on an apology. Falconer admitted it was the first he had heard of the situation but promised to look into it and report back to the committee.

The video was posted by Haskel and later highlighted in The Telegraph, where she was portrayed as a strong and unwavering political force. The article painted Thornberry in an unflattering light, suggesting she had been outmatched during the discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

While tensions between British and Israeli politicians have been strained in recent months, this incident has added fuel to the fire. Thornberry’s demand for an official response now puts pressure on UK ministers to take a stand against what she sees as a serious breach of diplomatic respect.