The Prime Minister welcomed Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Downing Street today for talks on strengthening the close partnership between the United Kingdom and Israel.
The two leaders welcomed the signing of the UK-Israel 2030 Roadmap this week, which will drive our bilateral relationship forward and commit £20m in funding for joint science and technology projects over the next decade.
They expressed their backing for a modern free-trade agreement with cutting-edge service provisions and said their teams would work to progress this at pace.
The leaders discussed shared security and defence challenges, including Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and the threat posed by Iran to regional stability. The Prime Minister set out the UK's analysis of the situation in Ukraine and the importance of continued international support to defend their sovereignty.
On Iran, they discussed the UK and Israel's significant concern about Iran's destabilising activity, and agreed that our governments would continue to work closely together to push back against aggression and manage the risk of nuclear proliferation.
The Prime Minister also expressed his solidarity with Israel in the face of terrorist attacks in recent months. The UK would always stand with Israel and its ability to defend itself. At the same time, the PM outlined international concern at growing tensions in the West Bank and the risk of undermining efforts towards the two state solution. He encouraged all efforts to de-escalate, particularly ahead of the upcoming religious holidays.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel.
The leaders welcomed the chance to meet in person to progress our important partnership, and the Prime Minister looked forward to visiting Israel at the earliest opportunity.
