THE UK Government's trade envoy to Israel has visited the country to "promote trade", just days after Labour said they were calling off negotiations with the Israeli government on a new free trade deal.
Lord Ian Austin was pictured in Haifa in northern Israel visiting various projects, where he said the Government would continue to "[encourage] British businesses to export to Israel and Israeli businesses to invest in the UK".
On Monday, the British embassy in Israel shared an image of Austin and wrote: "Great to welcome @LordIanAustin to Haifa!
"In a day full of innovation by the Carmel, the UK Trade Envoy to Israel visited the cutting-edge Customs Scanning Centre, Haifa Bayport, the Haifa–Nazareth Light Rail project, and the Technion - witnessing [Great Britain flag emoji, Israel flag emoji] cooperation at every stop."
Great to welcome @LordIanAustin to Haifa! In a day full of innovation by the Carmel, the UK Trade Envoy to Israel visited the cutting-edge Customs Scanning Centre, Haifa Bayport, the Haifa–Nazareth Light Rail project, and the Technion - witnessing 🇬🇧–🇮🇱 cooperation at every stop pic.twitter.com/v6Rk7BZrgU
— UK in Israel 🇬🇧 (@ukinisrael) May 26, 2025
Last week, the UK Government called off trade negotiations with Israel, describing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as “extremists”.
David Lammy told the Commons last Tuesday that Israel’s actions were “egregious” and that a “dark new phase in this conflict” had been reached.
He said the shift in position – which did not include a suspension of arms sales to Israel – came in response to the blockade on aid to Gaza, Israel's devastating bombing of the territory and high-level leaders' public statements about ethnically cleansing the territory.
The National heard from suspended Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who said that the decision to call off negotiations was part of Labour’s “mealy-mouthed, empty rhetoric” over Israel’s assault on the enclave.
Austin shared the visit on Twitter/X, writing: "Greetings from Israel! I’m here to meet businesses & officials to promote trade with the UK.
"Trade with Israel provides many thousands of good jobs in the UK and brings people together in the great multi-cultural democracy that is Israel."
And writing for PoliticsHome on May 23 ahead of the visit, Austin insisted that the UK was still "open for business" with Israel.
"I’ll be visiting Israel next week to show our support and solidarity and to drum up business for Britain," he said.
"Even without the benefits a new trade agreement would bring to Britain, our message is that we’re open for business, so we’ll still be encouraging British businesses to export to Israel and Israeli businesses to invest in the UK to create jobs here."
Austin added: "The situation in Gaza is terrible, as it is in all wars, and the quickest way to get the aid in and save lives is for Hamas to stop fighting and release the hostages. That would end the conflict immediately.
"And let’s not lose sight of what started this war: Hamas deliberately caused the conflict on 7 October when it raped, murdered and kidnapped Israeli civilians, 58 of whom are still held as hostages in Gaza.
"They knew how Israel would respond and deliberately put civilians in Gaza in harm's way by hiding in residential areas, hospitals and schools. That is why the situation is now so desperate."
The visit comes as an Israeli minister threatened to annex parts of the West Bank if the UK and France formally recognise a Palestinian state.
Ron Dermer, Israel's strategic affairs minister, warned that the country might take unilateral steps should the two countries press ahead with plans to recognise Palestine. Discussions around formal recognition are set to take place at a United Nations conference in June.
Haaretz reports that such steps could include legalising unauthorised settler outposts under Israeli law and annexing parts of Area C in the West Bank.
A UK Government spokesperson said: "We suspended talks with Israel on a new FTA [free trade agreement] because it is not possible to advance discussions with a Netanyahu government pursuing such egregious policies in Gaza and the West Bank.
"Lord Austin is in Israel this week in his capacity as Trade Envoy to maintain our relationship with Israeli businesses."
