Israeli president acknowledges meeting with UK PM was ‘tough’

Anti-Israel activists demand arrest of Israel’s president in Britain as Labour MPs slam PM for meeting with Herzog, decrying Israel as a “rogue state.”

By World Israel News Staff

Israel’s president faced a “tough” meeting with Britain’s head of government Wednesday as protesters called for his arrest and lawmakers from the ruling Labour party denounced Israel as a “rogue state.”

President Isaac Herzog traveled to London on Wednesday, where he met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of Britain’s planned recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood at the United Nations.

Herzog’s office said the president flew to Britain to voice Israel’s “strong objections to the British government’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state” and to push back on Britain’s recent sanctions on Israel.

Immediately after the meeting, Herzog issued a statement thanking Starmer for Britain’s decision to join other European powers in imposing “snapback” sanctions on Iran, while acknowledging strong “disagreements” with the British premier.

“Britain and Israel are friends, but among friends there are sometimes disagreements,” Herzog said. “I made clear that the United Kingdom’s stated intention to recognize a Palestinian state at this time would in no way help bring the hostages home, help the Palestinians, or help bring an end to the conflict.

“Instead, it would embolden extremists across the Middle East and beyond,” he continued. “I voiced strong opposition to any notion of sanctions against the only democracy in the region, and I warned against the dangerous echoing of Hamas’ propaganda campaign of starvation in Gaza even while 48 hostages remain in brutal captivity.”

During an address at the Chatham House later on Wednesday, Herzog highlighted the sharp differences between the Israeli and British governments, repeatedly calling his meeting with Starmer “tough.”

“It was a meeting between allies, but it was a tough meeting,” Herzog said. “Things were said that were tough and strong, and clearly we can argue, because when allies meet, they can argue. We are both democracies; we both understand the threat from the jihadists.”

Herzog defended Israel’s airstrike on a meeting of Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, this week, pushing back on Britain’s condemnation of the attack.

Anti-Israel protesters rallied outside Chatham House during Herzog’s visit, calling for his arrest and accusing him of being a “war criminal.”

Lawmakers from the ruling Labour party condemned Starmer’s meeting with Herzog, with some MPs denouncing Israel as a “rogue state.”