UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog for a contentious meeting Wednesday, with relations strained between their countries and protests held against Herzog’s London visit.
Herzog’s visit came as Starmer has in recent months toughened his criticism of how Israel is waging its war in Gaza, and put the UK on the path to recognise a Palestinian state.
The pair shook hands in front of photographers and TV cameras in Downing Street, with few smiles on display, as the meeting got underway Wednesday afternoon.
In the face-to-face, Starmer condemned Israel’s air strikes against Hamas leaders in Doha the previous day, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“He said the strikes were a flagrant violation of a key partner’s sovereignty and do nothing to secure the peace we all desperately want to see,” the spokesperson added.
Starmer also raised “huge concern” about the “man-made famine” in Gaza and called for the resumption of aid and the “halting of offensive operations”.
“We had a very frank and open discussion…. It was a meeting between allies, but it was a tough meeting,” Herzog said after the talks. He repeated Israel’s denial that famine was happening in Gaza.
The United Nations declared famine last month in parts of Gaza, warning that 500,000 people face “catastrophic” conditions.
