David Lammy has met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar for urgent discussions about the conflict in Gaza and the Iranian nuclear issue during a “private visit” to the UK by the Israeli minister.
The pair had been due to meet in London last month, but Sa’ar cancelled the official trip only days before Israel renewed its war on Hamas in Gaza.
Sa’ar was seen taking a flight to the UK from Israel on Monday, and the UK foreign office has now confirmed the Foreign Secretary met with him the following day.
At the meeting the Foreign Office said Lammy “raised the ongoing hostage negotiations, protection of aid workers, the need to end the humanitarian blockade of Gaza and stop settlement expansion in the West Bank, and the Iranian nuclear issue”.
The two discussed “the full range of regional issues on the agenda, foremost among them the Iranian nuclear issue,” according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
Saar and Lammy also discussed “the negotiations for the release of the hostages in Gaza” and “advancing bilateral relations between the two countries”, Israel added.
Sa’ar’s visit to London was not publicised by him or his ministry,
In January, the British Foreign Secretary visited Israel and met with Saar in Jerusalem.
