BREAKING NEWS

Hague to Steinitz: Britain has Israel’s back

British Foreign Secretary William Hague emphasized on Thursday to Strategic Affairs and Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz UK support for the Middle East peace process and UK commitment to Israel’s security.
“I reaffirmed that the UK was strongly committed to Israel’s security, and that we wanted to deepen and advance our links in education, science and technology, where both countries had much to share and benefit from mutual cooperation,” said Hague after meeting with the visiting Steinitz.
“We discussed a range of issues including the UK’s bilateral relationship with Israel, the Middle East peace process and regional security.
“We both welcomed the EU’s decision on 22 July to designate Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist group.”
Hauge stated the UK’s welcome for US Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement on July 19 that Israel and the Palestinians had reached agreement on the basis for resuming direct final-status negotiations.
“I again commended the leadership shown by both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas and reiterated the UK’s commitment to supporting them in their efforts to reach a lasting peace. I reiterated the UK position on settlements and EU guidance.
“On Iran, we expressed a shared commitment to preventing nuclear proliferation. I said that the election of Hassan Rouhani was an opportunity for Iran to seek a new relationship with the international community by seriously addressing concerns about its nuclear program. The UK is open to improvements in the bilateral relationship, but this requires concrete actions.”