David Lammy allegedly snubbed by Netanyahu on visit to Israel

Asraf added: “Let's remember - the reason the British Foreign Minister came here is, among other things, to discuss the scenario of an attack from Iran and Hezbollah. Israel is interested in British assistance in such a case.”

The UK Foreign Office and an Israeli official denied the reports saying the trip had never included a planned meeting with Netanyahu. 

Lammy visited the Middle East last week with his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné in the first joint UK-France visit to Israel in more than a decade.

They met with their Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer.

Both Séjourné and Lammy were criticised after being spotted removing a yellow hostage pin for a meeting with Palestinian politicians. 

The pair both wore the hostage solidarity badges when they met Katz on Friday but had removed them later that day when they met with the Palestinian prime minister, Mohammed Mustafa.

Eylon Levy, a former spokesman for the Israeli government, said: “Imagine if they had made the tiny gesture of keeping the pin for their meeting with the Palestinian prime minister.”

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz (C) poses for a picture with his French and British counterparts Stéphane Séjourné and David Lammy, ahead of their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on August 16, 2024. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)AFP via Getty Images

 

Lammy and Séjourné’s objective during their trip was to prevent "all-out war" in the Middle East amid mounting concern about an Iranian attack on Israel via Iran or Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Speaking before his trip, Lammy said it was a "dangerous moment" for the region and "all parties must engage seriously in negotiations".

Last night, Netanyahu’s office expressed “cautious optimism” on the possibility of a deal on hostages in Gaza, but a Hamas spokesman said there were “no improvements” in the latest discussions.