Israel–United Kingdom relations
Encyclopedia
Israel-United Kingdom relations refers to diplomatic and commercial ties between the United Kingdom
and Israel
. The United Kingdom maintains an embassy in Tel Aviv
and consulates in Eilat and Jerusalem. Israel
has an embassy and a consulate in London
.
, Israel, France and the United Kingdom drew up plans to invade the Sinai Peninsula
and gain control of the Suez Canal
.
In the 1950s and 1960s the UK was seen as pro-Arab, maintaining close relations with Jordan and the Gulf states.
called UK-Israel science and business ties "one of the cornerstones of the relationship between Britain and Israel."
due to alleged war crimes committed during the 2009 Gaza War. This strained the relations between Israel and the United Kingdom, and Israel urged the UK to alter its law to prevent further incidents of this kind. Moshe Yaalon called off a visit to Britain because of such concerns. Additionally, lawyers sought arrest of Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak
and an Israeli general, Doron Almog
, escaped arrest because British police feared an armed confrontation at Heathrow airport.
In February 2010, Israel was suspected of forging British passports for use in a mission to assassinate Hamas
leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
in Dubai
. The ambassador of Israel was summoned for talks. On 23 March 2010 the United Kingdom expelled an Israeli diplomat. David Miliband
stated that the UK saw it as a serious matter and misuse of British passports was intolerable. Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor
said "The relationship between Israel and the UK is of mutual importance, hence we are disappointed by the... decision." Miliband warned UK citizens against travel to Israel.
UK government proposals to label products originating from the West Bank
were criticized by Israel.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The United Kingdom maintains an embassy in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and consulates in Eilat and Jerusalem. Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
has an embassy and a consulate in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
Britain issued the pro-Zionist Balfour declaration in 1917 and spent 31 years ruling Palestine as a League of Nations Mandate until the 1948 war. British-Israeli relations improved during the Suez Campaign in 1956. In the Suez CrisisSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Israel, France and the United Kingdom drew up plans to invade the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
and gain control of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
.
In the 1950s and 1960s the UK was seen as pro-Arab, maintaining close relations with Jordan and the Gulf states.
Diplomatic relations
According to UK ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould, there is close cooperation between the British and Israeli governments on matters relating to Iran.UK accepts de facto Israeli control of West Jerusalem but regards East Jerusalem as "occupied."Commercial relations
Annual bilateral trade exceeds US$3 billion and over 300 known Israeli companies are operating in Britain. While visiting Israel in November 2010, UK Foreign Secretary William HagueWilliam Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
called UK-Israel science and business ties "one of the cornerstones of the relationship between Britain and Israel."
Cultural and educational relations
The Britain-Israel Research and Academic Exchange (BIRAX) was launched in 2008 to improve academic cooperation between universities in Israel and the UK. BIRAX, created by the British Council in Israel in collaboration with Pears Foundation, brings together Israeli and British scientists through funding of joint research projects. In November 2010, ten British-Israeli research projects were selected to receive BIRAX funding. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague also announced the establishment of the UK-Israel Life Sciences Council to further scientific collaboration between the two countries. The British Israeli Arts Training Scheme (BI ARTS) was established to improve links between the British and Israeli arts industries.Israel-UK tension
In December 2009, an arrest warrant was issued by a British court for Tzipi LivniTzipi Livni
Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
due to alleged war crimes committed during the 2009 Gaza War. This strained the relations between Israel and the United Kingdom, and Israel urged the UK to alter its law to prevent further incidents of this kind. Moshe Yaalon called off a visit to Britain because of such concerns. Additionally, lawyers sought arrest of Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
and an Israeli general, Doron Almog
Doron Almog
Doron Almog is a Major General in the Israel Defense Forces reserves.-Background:Almog is also the father of a son with severe autism and mental retardation. His autistic son Eran died at age 23 in 2007...
, escaped arrest because British police feared an armed confrontation at Heathrow airport.
In February 2010, Israel was suspected of forging British passports for use in a mission to assassinate Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud Abdel Rauf al-Mabhouh was a senior Hamas military commander and one of the founders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military affiliate of Hamas...
in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
. The ambassador of Israel was summoned for talks. On 23 March 2010 the United Kingdom expelled an Israeli diplomat. David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
stated that the UK saw it as a serious matter and misuse of British passports was intolerable. Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor
Ron Prosor
Ron Prosor is an Israeli diplomat and commentator on the Middle East. He served as Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2007-2011. In February 2011, Prosor was appointed Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations.-Biography:...
said "The relationship between Israel and the UK is of mutual importance, hence we are disappointed by the... decision." Miliband warned UK citizens against travel to Israel.
UK government proposals to label products originating from the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
were criticized by Israel.