Chants of death to the Israeli military at Glastonbury were “appalling” and the BBC and the celebration have questions to respond to, Wes Streeting has actually stated, while adding that Israel requires to “get its own house in order”.

The health secretary stated the chanting must not have actually been relayed to those watching in the house, highlighting that Israelis at a similar music celebration were abducted, murdered and raped.

“I thought it’s terrible, to be sincere, and I believe the BBC and Glastonbury have actually got concerns to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens,” he informed Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips on Sky News. “But I likewise believe it’s a pretty shameless publicity stunt, which I don’t actually want to offer too much extravagance to for that factor.”

He also had strong words for Israel, which has condemned the chanting. Streeting said what people ought to be speaking about in the context of Israel and Gaza is the humanitarian disaster in the territory and the truth that Israeli settlers attacked a Christian town in the West Bank this week.

“All life is spiritual. And I find it pretty revolting we’ve got to a state in this conflict where you’re supposed to sort of cheer on one side or the other like it’s a football team,” he said.

Asked about the Israel embassy’s reaction to the chants at Glastonbury, he stated: “Well, I ’d say sort of 2 things in action to those words from the Israeli embassy. Firstly, I do think that if I take the equivalent of the war in Ukraine, I’m unquestionable about which side of that war I’m on. I want Ukraine to win. Would I be commemorating or shouting for the death of Russian soldiers? No, I wish to see an end to the war, and I wish to see an end to the dispute.

“I ’d also state to the Israeli embassy, get your own home in order in regards to the conduct of your own people and the settlers in the West Bank. So, you understand, I think there’s a serious point there by the Israeli embassy I take seriously. I want they ’d take the violence of their own residents towards Palestinians more seriously.”

Police are analyzing videos of comments made by the acts Bob Vylan and Kneecap at Glastonbury as the celebration enters its third day.

On Saturday the rapper Bobby Vylan, of the rap punk duo Bob Vylan, led crowds at the festival’s West Holts stage in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces].

Describing himself as a “violent punk”, he said: “Sometimes we need to get our message across with violence since that’s the only language some individuals speak, regrettably.”
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Glastonbury organisers said on Sunday that the act had actually crossed a line. “With nearly 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will undoubtedly be artists and speakers appearing on our phases whose views we do not share, and an entertainer’s existence here should never be viewed as a tacit recommendation of their viewpoints and beliefs,” the celebration said in a statement.

“However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts phase by Bob Vylan yesterday.

“Their chants quite crossed a line and we are urgently advising everyone associated with the production of the festival that there is no location at Glastonbury for antisemitism, or incitement to violence.”

Bob Vylan carried out before the Irish rap trio Kneecap, who called on fans to show up at Westminster magistrates to support the band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, called Mo Chara, who was charged with a terrorism offense for holding a Hezbollah flag at a London gig last November.

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Ó hAnnaidh told the crowd on Saturday: “Glastonbury, I’m a complimentary guy!” He included: “If anybody falls down, you have actually got to pick them up. We have actually got to keep each other safe.” He thanked the Eavis household, the celebration’s organisers, for “holding strong” and permitting their efficiency to proceed.

Avon and Somerset police stated: “We know the comments made by acts on the West Holts phase at Glastonbury festival this afternoon. Video evidence will be evaluated by officers to figure out whether any offenses might have been dedicated that would require a criminal investigation.”
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The Israeli embassy stated it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric revealed on stage at the Glastonbury festival”.

A statement on X stated: “Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out - especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms.

“Chants such as ‘Death to the IDF,’ and ‘From the river to the sea’ are mottos that promote for the dismantling of the state of Israel and implicitly call for the removal of Jewish self-determination. When such messages are provided before 10s of countless festivalgoers and met applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence.