The Cabinet Office condemned the employee’s actions and confirmed that disciplinary steps were being taken.
By United with Israel Staff
A senior British civil servant is facing disciplinary action after sharing a social media post saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have died instead of country music star Dolly Parton.
The Cabinet Office employee reposted an image of Parton on Instagram following the singer’s death at age 80 on Tuesday. The image carried the caption: “It should have been Netanyahu.”
The post sparked scrutiny over the conduct of a government employee holding a senior position within the Cabinet Office, which supports the British prime minister and coordinates work across the government.
The Cabinet Office condemned the employee’s actions and confirmed that disciplinary steps were being taken.
“All civil servants are bound by the Civil Service Code and social media rules which set out clear guidelines for appropriate communications on personal accounts,” a Cabinet Office spokesman said.
“This post is clearly unacceptable and appropriate steps are being taken.”
According to The Telegraph, the employee has acknowledged responsibility for reposting the message and is expected to be called to a formal meeting in the coming weeks as part of the disciplinary process.
The woman serves as a senior executive officer, the highest of the executive officer grades, a position associated with an average annual salary of approximately £50,000.
She subsequently made her Instagram account private.
The original post that she shared, however, remained publicly available as of Friday evening and had attracted more than 25,000 likes.
The incident comes amid increasingly strained relations between Israel and Britain and heightened concern over anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric in the UK since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!