David Lammy has described the UK government’s current relationship with Israel as “a complex and intense one” but confirmed to MPs that “the United Kingdom and Israel in these times of course coordinate and work together”.
In a statement to the Commons on the current conflict between Israel and Iran the Foreign Secretary said: “As missiles rain down, Israel has a right to defend itself and its citizens, but our priority now is de-escalation.
“Our message to both Israel and Iran is clear, step back, show restraint, don’t get pulled ever deeper into a catastrophic conflict whose consequences nobody can control.”
He also added “further escalation in the Middle East is not in Britain’s interests, nor the interests of Israel, Iran or the region.”
But replying to a question from Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel on relations with Israel, and whether any intelligence was shared with the Jewish state, Lammy admitted the UK’s “relationship with Israel remains a complex and intense one.”
He added: “I have spoken to foreign minister (Gideon) Sa’ar on numerous occasions and of course spoke to him again – he was in a bunker when I spoke to him on Saturday, separated from his family.
“I offered him condolences, and of course, as you would expect, the United Kingdom and Israel in these times of course coordinate and work together.
“We have disagreements, of course, and we’ve discussed that over this despatch box particularly about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but we recognise that there are many Israelis as we speak in their bunkers, that there have been 21 casualties over this last period, and over 500 people injured.
“There is a sense of trauma compounding trauma in Israel and I want to reassure her that we recognise that.”
Priti Patel
Patel had earlier told the Commons:”The Iranian regime is a prolific state sponsor of terrorism with a stated intention to annihilate the world’s only Jewish state.
“Given these concerns, and the clear threat Iran poses not only to Israel but to the wider regional stability, Israel has the right to act in self defence to degrade Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.”
She added that “relations between this Government and Israel have become strained since last July” and asked: “So, what message does the Foreign Secretary have to all those who are concerned that constructive dialogue and diplomacy with Israel is not taking place?”
Gideon Sa’ar, right, meets David Lammy in Jerusalem on Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel)
Lammy also revealed he had met earlier on Monday with Yocheved Lifschitz, “whose courage and dignity in the face of Hamas’ barbarism was a reminder of the plight of those still cruelly held in Gaza.”
He added the government “will not stop striving to free the hostages and end the war.”
