Stuart Mitchel
Conservative MP’s and Peers joined a cross-party briefing with the Speaker of the Knesset Mickey Levy this week, hosted by the Britain-Israel APPG and chaired by CFI Officer Bob Blackman MP. The Knesset Speaker’s visit also included a special reception hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, which was attended by dozens of cross-party MPs, including Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Rt. Hon. Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Mr Levy’s visit was a chance for MPs to learn more about the domestic politics of Israel and how the UK-Israel partnership could be strengthened in areas related to security, an area which Mr Levy has great interest in due to his former roles in the Jerusalem Police and the IDF. Among the topics discussed, Iran was a key focus, with Mr Levy stating: “Iran is a terrorist country that wants the destruction of Israel and has taken steps for this. Iran on a weekly basis sends weapons via Syria to Hezbollah. Iran is at the last stages from the threshold of becoming a nuclear state. If Iran gets to that state the entire Middle East will become weaponised. Other states will purchase these weapons from Iran”.
When asked by CFI Vice-Chairman John Howell OBE MP how Israel can continue to build upon the Abraham Accords, Mr Levy said Israel can continue to build symbiotic relationships with countries that can benefit from Israel’s technological achievements. He stated: “Most Arab countries have accepted Israel as a fact. Israeli agriculture and irrigation are among the most advanced in the world and it is by providing water to Jordan we have maintained a standing peace. Israel is a water superpower and by providing resources the Arab states need we can reach our hand out in peace. Enough with war”.
Bob Blackman MP and Mr Levy also discussed the challenges of stopping the radicalisation of young Palestinians through school textbooks and how the UK can help in making sure humanitarian funds sent to Gaza and the Palestinian Authority are not used to encourage Palestinian terrorism.
