New trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds is embarking on fresh talks with Israel, whose economy minister is an outspoken supporter of its attacks on Palestinians. (Reynolds has received funding from Britain’s Israel lobby and is a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel)
Trade negotiations between the UK and Israel seek to establish a new bilateral agreement and have been ongoing since 2022. In the talks Reynolds is dealing with a minister in Tel Aviv, Nir Barkat, who is one of the more extreme proponents of Israel’s brutal war in Gaza.
The government’s announcement was made two days after Israel killed over 30 Palestinians in an airstrike on a school housing displaced people in central Gaza.
As Israel continues its mass attacks against Palestinians, which have killed tens of thousands, Britain’s Department for Business and Trade says “Our teams will be entering negotiating rooms as soon as possible, laser-focused on creating new opportunities for UK firms”.
While the International Criminal Court seeks arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, British embassy officials in Israel are writing about the “tremendous opportunity for collaboration between Israeli and British companies”.