British Minister reaffirms UK's commitment to peace process
Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt visits Israel and the OPTs for discussions on peace process and to celebrate strong business and tech relations with Israel.
Alistair Burt MP, Britain’s Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, today concluded a three day visit to Israel and the OPTs.
During the Israel leg of the visit, Minister Burt met a number of government officials and political figures to discuss wide-ranging issues affecting the UK’s relations with Israel. He emphasised the UK’s strong relationship with Israel and its commitment to the Middle East Peace Process.
Mr Burt also attended the launch ceremony of El Al Airlines’ first Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane Ben Gurion Airport. El Al’s new fleet of Dreamliners is equipped with British-made Rolls Royce engines, a result of the biggest-ever trade deal between the two countries, signed in 2016.
Minister Burt said:
The UK is a great friend of Israel and during this visit I have reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. We will continue to work with and support those in Israel and beyond who want to achieve a viable solution.
We have a longstanding relationship with Israel and I have witnessed first-hand the strength of this partnership in many areas from trade and investment to technology and innovation. This relationship will continue to grow and benefit both of our nations.
In a series of meetings in Jerusalem, Minister Burt met Tzachi Hanegbi MK, Minister for Regional Cooperation; Michael Oren MK, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; Ayman Odeh MK, head of the Joint List party; and Yuval Rotem, Director General of the Ministry of foreign Affairs.
During a meeting with young tech developers, he witnessed how a London-based initiative, the free coding school Founders & Coders, is expanding to Israel through a successful branch in the city of Nazareth.