BICOM

Prime Minister David Cameron affirmed his commitment to friendship with Israel in a speech to the Conservative Friends of Israel yesterday. He told the gathering, “I’m not an acquaintance of Israel, I’m not a colleague of Israel. I am a passionate friend of Israel – and that is how it will always stay.”

Cameron expressed his personal understanding of Israel security concerns, saying, “It’s only when you visit the Lebanese border as I have done, when you look through binoculars and see the Hezbollah flags just hundreds of yards away that you can really understand the fear that so many Israelis live with day-in, day-out.”

The Prime Minister also reaffirmed the UK government’s commitment to the flourishing trade relationship between Britain and Israel, saying, “we are going to keep on working with Israel, doing business with Israel, trading with Israel.” Cameron praised the success of the Israeli hi-tech economy, which he ascribed to the “the aspiration and drive of its people.”

In the same speech, Cameron reiterated British concerns that time is running out for the Middle East peace process, and was critical both of Palestinian unwillingness to engage in negotiations, and of recent Israeli announcements of new settlement construction, which he said were not in Israel’s interests.

The Prime Minister also reaffirmed his commitment to stopping Iran acquiring a nuclear bomb, saying that whilst he did not believe now was the time for military action, “If Iran makes the wrong choice – nothing, and I mean nothing is off the table.”