PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary’s meeting with the Prime Minister of Israel [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 January 2024.
The Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron met the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem.
The Foreign Secretary reiterated UK support for Israel’s efforts to secure the release of the 136 hostages from Gaza after the barbaric Hamas attack of 7 October. The Foreign Secretary explained that he wants to see an immediate humanitarian pause to get hostages out and aid in, leading to a sustainable ceasefire without a return to hostilities. To enable this, Hamas must agree to the release of all hostages, they could no longer be in charge in Gaza firing rockets at Israel, and an agreement must be in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza to provide governance, services and security.
The Foreign Secretary underlined the need for a political strategy to achieve long term peace. This must be based on a credible and irreversible pathway to achieve a Palestinian State alongside Israel, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.
They discussed the urgency of getting significantly more aid into Gaza to alleviate the desperate situation there. The Foreign Secretary reiterated the need for Israel to open more crossing points into Gaza, for Nitzana and Kerem Shalom to be open for longer, and for Israel to support the UN to distribute aid effectively across the whole of Gaza. The Foreign Secretary also underlined the need for Israel to ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza, and to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel and facilities.
The Foreign Secretary also met Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, and Minister without Portfolio Benny Gantz whilst in Jerusalem, and Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
