Public bodies will be banned from engaging in BDS activities against Israel, the UK’s business and trade secretary has announced.

Addressing an audience of hundreds of people at the Israeli Embassy’s “Israel 75” event, the Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP said: “This government will ban public bodies from pursuing boycott, divestment and sanctions activities. We will ban those activities, including at universities and local authorities.”

Speaking warmly of the bond between Israel and the UK, the business secretary said: “Our relationship is built on decades of cooperation and steeped in historical ties”, adding that UK”s departure from the EU gave the two nations the opportunity to build “an even stronger and more supportive friendship.”

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Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely and Kemi Badenoch (Shai Dolev Photography)

In March, Badenoch visited Israel for the first time to drive forward a new UK-Israel free trade agreement. She told the audience she was working to negotiate “a modern, innovative deal that will open up huge opportunities for us in financial services, technology and infrastructure” adding that “one of the highlights” of her trip had been visiting Teva, an Israeli pharmaceutical business that makes one in five of the generic drugs supplied by the NHS.

Badenoch’s words were welcomed by Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, who paid a personal tribute to the government minister. “I want to thank Secretary of State, Kemi Badenoch, for her incredible support and friendship.”

“Kemi is someone who gets things done and has been a huge driving force in pushing forward this trade agreement. Kemi, I want to thank you for everything that you do in strengthening the ties between our two countries.”

Addressing an audience that included government ministers, MPs, the UK Ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco to the UK, Hotovely said:“Israel’s friendship with the UK runs deep. It is bound together by our shared history and our continued collaboration. Today, the work on a new, exciting free trade agreement is unlocking huge potential between our two economies.”

The event, which is part of a wider Israel 75 festival, took place at the Outernet in central London, Europe’s largest digital exhibition space.

At the entrance, around 75 pro-Israel democracy campaigners were demonstrating against the Israeli government’s proposed judicial reforms.

Sharon Shochat, from Defend Israeli Democracy UK told the JC: "We are here today not to protest the event, or to protest against the guests, many of whom support our cause. We are here as a reminder that our real Independence, our democracy, and our freedoms as Israeli citizens are under attack."

The guest list included Conservative MP Stephen Crabb, Labour MP Sharon Hodgson and Gavin Stollar, Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel Chair.

The evening featured performances by award-winning actress and singer, Miri Mesika, Israeli dance company, FRESCO and electric Israeli violinist, Bar Markovich.

More events will be taking place around London over the next week and last week the JC hosted a panel discussion on the future of Israel at the Israeli embassy in London.