- The Foreign Secretary and Israeli
Foreign Minister will today sign the 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israeli
Bilateral Relations, boosting economic, security and technology
ties.
- The Roadmap builds on 75 years of
close relations between the two countries and includes shared
commitments to tackle the scourge of antisemitism.
- The Foreign Secretary and Foreign
Minister Cohen are also expected to discuss the recent spike in
violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories,
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the threat posed by Iran.
Foreign Secretary will host his Israeli
counterpart Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in London today (21 March)
to sign a landmark agreement that will define bilateral relations
between their two countries until 2030.
The UK and Israel are committed to a modern, innovative and
forward-looking relationship that continues to focus on mutual
priorities for mutual benefit. The 2030 Roadmap for Israel-UK
Bilateral Relations is an ambitious agreement that will ensure
the partnership remains modern and continues to innovate to
address shared challenges. Adopting a thematic approach, the
Roadmap contains detailed commitments for deepening cooperation
across the breadth of the Israel-UK relationship, including on
trade, cyber, science and tech, research and development,
security, health, climate and gender.
New multi-million-pound programmes announced in the Roadmap,
including around £20m of joint funding commitments on technology
and innovation, will enable both countries to remain at the
forefront of the technological revolution. The UK is also
committed to working closely with Israel to tackle the scourge of
antisemitism. As chair for the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance in 2024, the UK will promote fact-based
knowledge of the Holocaust and strengthen media and information
literacy.
The Foreign Secretary, , said ahead of the
visit:
"The UK-Israel Bilateral Roadmap is a testament to the
strength of our close and historic relationship.
“As we approach the 75th anniversary of UK-Israel relations,
our Roadmap will allow us to fully take advantage of the
opportunities in areas of mutual interest, including tech, trade
and security.
“The UK and Israel also stand together, defiant in the face
of the malign influence of Iran in the region, and against the
wider scourge of antisemitism.”
The UK-Israel relationship has already delivered huge benefits to
both economies. Our trade relationship is worth around £7bn, and
there are more than 400 Israeli tech firms operating in the UK.
Israeli investment into the UK drives growth and jobs, adding
around £1bn gross value to the UK economy and creating about
16,000 jobs in the last eight years.
The Roadmap is the culmination of efforts that began with the
signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2021 to work
more closely over the next decade on cyber, technology, trade and
defence, which formally elevated the UK’s relationship with
Israel to a ‘strategic partnership’. Last year, the UK and Israel
launched negotiations for a new free trade agreement, with a
focus on innovation and the aim of upgrading the trading
relationship. The new trade deal, by lowering barriers and
championing free trade, is a key priority for both governments.
During the visit, the Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary will
also discuss areas of shared concern including countering the
current threat from Iran and tackling Iran’s destabilising and
malign activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
and the UK’s ongoing support for the Abraham Accords.
The Foreign Secretary will also raise the UK’s concerns about the
recent spike in violence in the Israel and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories and the need for all parties to take
steps to deescalate and end the cycle of violence.
[ENDS]
Notes to editors:
- The Bilateral Roadmap will focus on
several themes including partnership, tackling antisemitism,
defence and security, trade and investment, cyber, science and
technology, climate, culture, education, health, development and
gender.
- In 2021, the UK and Israel signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to work more closely over the next
decade on cyber, technology, trade and defence https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-israel-strategic-partnership-memorandum-of-understanding-2021
