Politics
David Lammy and French Foreign Minister in ‘urgent’ visit to Jerusalem
Visit comes amid ongoing Iranian threat to Israel
August 16, 2024 14:55
Visit comes amid ongoing Iranian threat to Israel
August 16, 2024 14:55Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné visited Jerusalem on Friday and were urged by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz to back an Israeli offensive if the country was attacked by Iran.
Katz posted on X/Twitter: “I thanked them for their support of Israel and made it clear that the right way to deter Iran and prevent war is by announcing that if Iran attacks, they will stand with Israel not only in defence but also in striking targets in Iran. Iran is the head of the axis of evil, and the free world must stop it now before it’s too late.”
The visit comes amid ongoing negotiations to reach a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and terrorist group Hamas. Talks in Doha, the capital of Qatar are being backed by the United States and Egypt.
According to the BBC, Foreign Secretary told reporters that, “The time for a deal for those hostages to be returned, for aid to get in in the quantities that are necessary in Gaza, and for the fighting to stop, is now."
Iran’s leaders have reportedly been urged to avoid any action against Israel by Qatari leaders while negotiations to reach a ceasefire are ongoing.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke to the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and told him that a regional war is “not in anyone’s interest.”
Starmer, along with the leaders of the United States, France, Germany, and Italy issued a statement aimed at deterring Iran from attacking Israel.
It said: “We expressed our support for the defence of Israel against Iranian aggression and against attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups. We called on Iran to stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place.”
An Iranian attack against Israel has been expected Iran in response to the killing of senior Hezbollah official Fuad Shukr by Israel in Beirut and the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran (for which Israel has not claimed responsibility) in late July.