Foreign Secretary meets leaders of the Jewish Community
Foreign Secretary William Hague said "today’s meeting provided an important opportunity to share perspectives and discuss current issues affecting Israel and the Jewish community."
Speaking after meeting leading members of the Jewish Community yesterday, the Foreign Secretary William Hague said:
“It was a great pleasure to welcome Vivian Wineman, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and members of the Jewish community to the Foreign Office today. As the implications of the Arab Spring reverberate throughout the region, today’s meeting provided an important opportunity to share perspectives and discuss current issues affecting Israel and the Jewish community.
“Our discussions focused on the Peace Process and I underlined the urgent need for both sides to resume talks. As a firm friend of Israel I emphasised that the status quo is in no way sustainable and that the Peace Process is not immune from the effects of change and instability elsewhere. President Obama’s recent statement that negotiations should be on the basis of 1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps and proper security arrangements offers an important opportunity for progress and we should do all that we can to build on this now”.
“We also discussed concerns about a potential Palestinian Authority move at the UN for recognition of a Palestinian state and I stressed again that the best way to achieve a lasting solution that delivers a sovereign, independent and contiguous Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel at peace with its neighbours is through a negotiated solution. On the issue of the planned flotilla to Gaza, I emphasised that our travel advice clearly sets out that we advise against all travel to Gaza, including the waters off the Gaza coast”.