UK’s David Lammy condemned for meeting Israeli FM

UK politicians have condemned Foreign Secretary David Lammy for meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in an undeclared meeting on April 15th, the Middle East Eye reported on April 16th.

Saar, visiting the UK on a private trip, met Lammy in London, sparking criticism due to the secretive implications of the meeting. But also because Saar is a representative of a government that is alleged to have committed widespread human rights abuses.

The meeting caused outrage, with activists requesting an arrest warrant for Saar on charges of purported involvement in war crimes, The Guardian reported on April 16th. The Global Legal Action Network (Glan) and the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) composed joint letters to the UK’s attorney general the director of public prosecutions, seeking consent for a private prosecution against Saar. Saar’s public comments on Gaza and his role in Israel’s security cabinet motivated the legal pursuit.

Independent MP Ayoub Khan called the meeting “utterly disgraceful and profoundly disappointing.” Particularly when considering “Israel is conducting one of the most brutal military campaigns in recent history,” Khan said.

Saar and Lammy reportedly talked about Iran’s nuclear programme and the ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas. However, Lammy reportedly criticised the Gaza blockade and the widening of Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski also criticised Lammy, stating that the meeting showed “contempt” for the concerns of the UK public, who want an end to the violence. Polanski challenged Lammy’s sense of solidarity, asking why the UK was still arming Israel while it continued its violent acts against Palestinians.

Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed said that Lammy should have used the opportunity to announce sanctions against Israel for war crimes, instead of failing to act on the issue of genocide. The Labour Muslim Network also condemned the meeting, calling it an insult to Muslim communities and international law.

Saar, a staunch opponent of the two-state solution, defended Israel’s move to cut aid to Gaza. Independent cross-party consultant on Israel-Palestine, Gary Spedding, said that this meeting reflects a shift towards secrecy in UK-Israel relations. The UK Foreign Office declined to comment on the visit.

Middle East Eye, Guardian