The Prime Minister has promised to pass new laws to ban boycotts of Israel; to forge close ties with Israel through a free trade deal; and to work together to stop Iran getting nuclear weapons.
In a letter sent on Wednesday to Conservative Friends of Israel, Rishi Sunak wrote of his “dedication to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, as well as my support for the UK’s Jewish community, who have made an extraordinary contribution to Great Britain”.
He said Israel was “an incredibly important ally of the United Kingdom”, adding that the relationship between the two countries had made their citizens healthier and safer thanks to collaboration over Covid vaccines, “more prosperous thanks to record trade flows, and also safer as a result of close security and military cooperation”.
Mr Sunak promised that the law prohibiting boycott divestment and sanctions (BDS) – originally contained in the 2019 Tory manifesto – would make it into the statute book.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak alongside the ambassadors of Morocco (L), UAE (second from left), Israel (second from right), and Bahrain (Photo via ELNET)
The prime minister also declared his support for Israel's security, writing: “As a proud friend of Israel, I will fight very hard for the security of people in Israel and to continue the UK’s determined efforts to end the bias against Israel.
"This includes standing up to Iranian hostility and their pursuit of nuclear weapons… The UK will continue working with Israel and all our allies to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon.”
He also said that he was "proud" to have attended an event commemorating the second anniversary of the Abraham Accords last month. He wrote: "They stand as one of the greatest achievements in the history of diplomacy in the Middle East.
"The UK will continue to do all it can to leverage our strong ties with other Gulf states to expand the number of signatories to the agreement and enhance the already blossoming opportunities opened up by these ground-breaking agreements."
Mr Sunak also said that it is "essential that we continue to tackle antisemitic hate and I am determined to ensure this scourge on our society is eradicated."
He also declared his commitment to building the controversial Westminster Holocaust Memorial: "As Chancellor I committed to making the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre free to visit in perpetuity and it is important that the Memorial is built in Victoria Tower Gardens as soon as possible – a fitting memorial that will send a powerful signal of the importance that we attach to remembering the Holocaust and learning the lessons of the past."