British Foreign Secretary David Lammy was reportedly snubbed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a trip to Israel this week.
Reports in Israeli media, suggest he was snubbed by the PM after the UK withdrew its objection to the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes.
According to Moriah Asraf of Israel's Channel 13 News, “The reason for the refusal: Netanyahu is furious with Britain for withdrawing the reservation against issuing arrest warrants against him
“Israeli sources tell me that the British have contacted Netanyahu's office several times in order to coordinate the meeting, and the official response given is the constraints of the timetable.’”
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)
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.
