Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar holds the British Labour government responsible for the deterioration of relations between Israel and the United Kingdom. At a meeting with a delegation of British Conservatives on Wednesday evening in Jerusalem, he criticised London’s unilateral measures against Israel.
The delegation was led by Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake. Several British Members of Parliament as well as representatives of the organisation Conservative Friends of Israel attended the meeting. The talks focused on bilateral relations and Israel’s security policy challenges.
“The relationship between Israel and the United Kingdom is important to both countries,” Sa’ar stated on X. Unfortunately, it had been damaged by a series of unilateral, anti-Israel measures pursued by the Labour government, which has been in power since 2024. This development had occurred against Israel’s wishes.
I was pleased to meet this evening in Jerusalem with a visiting delegation from the British Conservative Party, led by Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake.
I briefed our friends on the strategic challenges facing Israel, including the ongoing, systematic and openly declared attempt by Iran and its allies to destroy it.
The relationship between Israel and Britain is important to both countries. Unfortunately, it has been damaged, against our wishes, by a series of unilateral anti-Israel measures pursued by the Labour government since 2024.
As attorneys general from 13 U.S. states recently warned, attempts to harm Israel also harm Britain itself.
Israel still has good friends in Britain, and I thanked them for standing with Israel! 🇮🇱🇬🇧
@CFoI @kevinhollinrake @A_J_Snowden @AWMurrison @drcarolinej @JeromeMayhew @gavinantonyrice— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) November 11, 2026
Sa’ar warned that attempts to harm Israel would ultimately also harm the United Kingdom itself. He also briefed his guests on the ongoing threats from Iran and its allies, who, in his words, were systematically and openly seeking the destruction of Israel.
Hollinrake thanked the Israeli Foreign Minister for the meeting and emphasised the importance of cooperation between the two countries. The British Conservatives stood firmly by Israel’s side and wanted to help restore and strengthen the damaged partnership.
The delegation also included Conservative Members of Parliament Andrew Murrison, Caroline Johnson and Jerome Mayhew.
Diplomatic tensions between Jerusalem and London
Relations between Israel and the United Kingdom have deteriorated significantly since the Labour government took office in July 2024. London suspended certain arms export licences for Israel and imposed sanctions on two Israeli ministers in 2025. In September of the same year, the United Kingdom also recognised a Palestinian state.
In September 2026, the British government announced further measures against the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. These include an expansion of the sanctions regime as well as planned trade restrictions on goods from the communities and services that support their expansion.
London justifies these steps by citing its opposition to Israeli settlement construction and its goal of preserving the possibility of a two-state solution. Israel rejects the British position and regards Judea and Samaria as disputed territories whose final status must be resolved through negotiations.
In response to the British measures, Israel restricted the activities of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem. The previous consular operations were terminated in October, while a smaller British representation remained in Jerusalem. Foreign Minister Sa’ar outlined Israel’s position in an official statement dated 8 October. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also sharply criticized British policy towards Israel.
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