LONDON — Rishi Sunak has delivered a message of British solidarity with Israel during a whirlwind trip to Tel Aviv, telling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “We want you to win.”
Standing alongside Netanyahu for a televised address, Sunak said he “knew” Israel is “taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians” as it responds to last weekend’s attacks by Hamas.
The British PM arrived in Israel early Thursday morning for a two-day visit to the war-torn Middle East. He immediately held talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog as well as Netanyahu.
Sunak told Netanyahu afterward: “I’m proud to stand with you in Israel’s darkest hour as your friend, we will stand with you in solidarity, we will stand with your people, and we want you to win.”
Sunak also expressed the “deep condolences of the British people” at the mass loss of life during last weekend’s attacks.
“We’re increasing our aid to the region and we will look to get more support to people as quickly as we can,” Sunak added.
The PM stressed the U.K. supports Israel’s right to protect itself “in line with international law,” and added: “I know that you are taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians,” saying this was in “direct contrast to the terrorists of Hamas, which seeks to put civilians in harm’s way.”
Sunak is set to visit other regional capitals during his two-day tour, although Downing Street has not confirmed a specific itinerary, citing security reasons.
A No. 10 spokesman did confirm that Sunak will travel next to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is conducting his own diplomatic push to try to stop the conflict spreading across the region. He is due to meet leaders in Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar during a three-day visit to the Middle East.
The visits come in the wake of a devastating blast at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday in which hundreds are feared to have died, and amid conflicting accusations about who was responsible for the attack.
In a statement released by Downing Street ahead of the trip, Sunak said: “The attack on Al-Ahli Hospital should be a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict.”
Source : POLITICO
