Welcome to what I hope will be a regular update on my activities, those of my Embassy, or just a place to discuss current events in the region.

The establishment of the state of Israel was one of the defining moments of the 20th century, and I therefore thought it fitting to launch this new column as we celebrate Israel’s 61st birthday.

After close to three years as Ambassador here, I am continually impressed by the warmth and breadth of relations between our two countries. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already visited Israel twice: in July 2008 as part of the celebrations for Israel’s Diamond Jubilee year when he became the first British Prime Minister to ever address the Knesset, and in January 2009 with five other European leaders following the ceasefire in Gaza. President Shimon Peres visited the UK in November 2008 to address members of both Houses of Parliament and to receive an honorary knighthood from Her Majesty the Queen. My Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, has visited Israel twice, most recently in November 2008, while Minister for the Middle East Bill Rammell came to Israel in December 2008 for a visit which included a tour of the Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip just days before Operation Cast Lead was launched.

We now of course have a new Israeli government in place: Prime Minister Brown telephoned Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 April, and Foreign Secretary Miliband and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman have also already spoken.

Flourishing business ties

The bond goes even deeper when one looks at the links between the UK Jewish community and Israel, the links between Israeli and British academics and scientists, and the flourishing business ties. Two-way trade continues to top £2billion and PM Brown set the target of £3 billion by 2012. Over 250 Israeli companies operate in the UK. Israel is the UK’s 23rd largest market worldwide and largest individual export market and trading partner in the region. The British airline bmi recently launched a second daily service between London and Tel Aviv after just over a year of operating this hugely-successful route.

Which is why recent reports alleging that the British government is in someway advocating or supporting attempts to boycott Israeli goods are simply wrong. The government does not support a boycott of Israeli goods, is not encouraging the actions of those who are in favour of boycotting Israeli produce and indeed is against any sort of boycott of Israel. The UK has an important trade relationship with Israel - one which we will continue to foster and encourage.

What has happened is that in response to enquiries from the food industry, civil society and members of the public regarding what place of origin should be stated on food and drinks produced and packed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the UK’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has drafted voluntary guidance on how produce sourced from the territories might be labelled so that people would know exactly where what they are buying comes from – from an Israeli settlement, or from a Palestinian producer. The guidance will not be mandatory.

Having said that, settlements are of course illegal under international law (the Fourth Geneva Convention for example says that an occupying power shall not transfer part of its population into the territory it occupies), and it is also clear that they represent a major obstacle to peace in that they undermine the chances of a viable two state solution. We continue to see such a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the only way to balance the aspiration of both peoples, and worry that the alternative to the two-states model is continuing conflict.  

We also fully understand why Israel feels under threat and continues to crave the security it so rightfully deserves. Iran is a serious concern for the entire international community, which is why the UK is at the forefront of efforts to press Iran to fulfil its international obligations and restore confidence in its intentions. The key point is that sustainable peace agreements with the Palestinians and Israel’s other neighbours would be the best way to a secure place for Israel in the Middle East.

Tackling anti-Semitism

We recently marked Holocaust Memorial Day here in Israel, which this year coincided with the Durban Review Conference in Geneva. Britain attended the conference because we share its principal objective of furthering the global fight against racism. However, the UK delegation, as well as those of European and other nations, walked out during President Ahmadinejad's speech, which Foreign Secretary Miliband termed "offensive, inflammatory and utterly unacceptable." The UK supported the adoption of the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference as it underlines the importance of preventing, combating and eradicating racism, discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance. Furthermore, it condemned racism including, anti-Semitism and Islamaphobia, as well as stating that the Holocaust must never be forgotten and urging all member states to implement General Assembly resolutions on Holocaust remembrance.  

I too am concerned by the reported increase in anti-Semitic attacks on the Jewish community back in the UK and their increasing sense of unease. The UK Government strongly condemns such incidents and British Jews, like all communities, must be able to live their lives free from fear of verbal or physical attack. The Government has a shared responsibility to tackle anti-Semitism and all other forms of racism and prejudice not only with those communities directly affected, but with all members of society.

This is why in February of this year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, together with the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism co-hosted the London Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism - an international summit conference designed to formulate new strategies for countering global anti-Semitism. The conference brought together more than 100 lawmakers from 35 countries to work intensively with leading academics, legal experts and specialists in the field to devise ways by which Parliamentary systems can work with governments to combat anti-Semitism as a global threat. The conference culminated in the signing of the London Declaration on Combating Anti-Semitism and Prime Minister Brown was the first world leader to sign the document.

I would like to hear what you have to say, any comments you may have, so please contact me at: ambassador.telaviv@gmail.com

Tom Phillips
28 April 2009