Latest news with #IanAustin
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
British Palestinians call out David Lammy over UK-Israel trade visit
On Monday, Lord Ian Austin – the UK Government's trade envoy to Israel – was pictured in Haifa in northern Israel, where he said the Government would continue to encourage "British businesses to export to Israel and Israeli businesses to invest in the UK". It comes despite the UK Government suspending negotiations with the Israeli government on a new free trade deal last week, as Lammy described Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as "extremists". READ MORE: BBC admits error after presenting Reform UK spokesperson as member of public The National understands that Austin is set to be in Israel until Friday to "maintain" the UK Government's relationship with Israeli businesses. The visit was condemned by Independent MP and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former first minister Humza Yousaf, and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians. Meanwhile, the British Palestinian Committee, an independent organisation of British Palestinians advocating for Palestinian rights, has now written to the Foreign Secretary arguing that the visit "appears to directly contradict" the UK Government's previous condemnation of Israel. Dr Sara Husseini, director of the British Palestinian Committee, said that the "limited steps" against Israel by the UK Government "are already being undermined". Penning the letter to Lammy on Tuesday, Husseini said the UK Government was "isolat[ing] itself on the international stage" in its continued support of Israel. The full letter to the Foreign Secretary said: "One week ago, you announced the suspension of free trade agreement negotiations with Israel in light of its ongoing military assault on Gaza. "Yesterday morning, the UK Trade Envoy to Israel, Lord Ian Austin, publicly stated on X that he was in Israel to 'promote trade with the UK' meeting with Israeli businesses and officials. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv further amplified this message by publishing a photo of Lord Austin at the Haifa Port. "This visit appears to directly contradict your Government's recent announcement and suggests that business continues as usual, despite almost 600 days of Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza. Foreign Secretary David Lammy (Image: PA) "The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has now reached at least 54,000 with entire families incinerated in their homes as Israel's daily bombardments continue. "Women, men and children remain trapped under rubble or in the streets, unreachable by emergency crews. During this past weekend, harrowing footage has circulated of children burned alive during an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced people, and a surgeon at work receiving the charred bodies of her nine children. "Israel continues to pursue its openly stated policy of forced displacement, now centred in Rafah, while systematically blocking supplies to force the starvation of the entire population of Gaza. The extent of this mass ethnic cleansing is on a scale not experienced by the Palestinian people since their original expulsion from their homes during the Nakba of 1947-48. "Last week's measures announced by your government are wholly inadequate in the face of this horrific reality. That even the limited measures announced last week are already being undermined is deeply troubling and entirely unacceptable." READ MORE: By-election hustings chaos as Tory candidate walks out over Labour no-show Husseini went on: "Rather than fulfilling its legal and moral duties to ensure the protection of an occupied people – Britain continues to provide diplomatic, economic, and military support to the occupying power. "As other states, international bodies, and civil society institutions take steps to halt Israeli atrocities, the UK Government continues to participate in these crimes and further isolate itself on the international stage." The British Palestinian Committee called on Lammy to: Immediately clarify the nature and mandate of Austin's visit to Israel and "take appropriate steps to ensure that the government is not reneging on its own policy". Drop the 2030 roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations, and "impose comprehensive economic and diplomatic sanctions in order to apply pressure on Israel to abide by its international obligations". Cease "all forms of military cooperation with Israel and impose a full two-way arms embargo, in line with the UK's obligations under international law, including the duty to prevent, punish, and ensure non-complicity in genocide". The UK Government has previously insisted that the visit was unrelated to the recently suspended new free trade deal and that Austin was not involved in trade negotiations. The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
'Shameless hypocrisy': MP Ayoub Khan slams UK for sending envoy to Israel to 'promote trade'
The UK has sent its Israel trade envoy, Lord Ian Austin, to Israel to "promote trade" - less than a week after suspending free trade agreement talks with Israel over its attacks on Gaza. On Monday Austin was in Haifa, where he visited the customs scanning centre, Haifa Bayport and the Haifa-Nazareth Light Rail project. "Greetings from Israel!" the envoy said in a post on X on Monday. "I'm here to meet businesses & officials to promote trade with the UK." Austin added: "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." Just last Tuesday, Britain announced it was summoning the Israeli ambassador in London and suspending its free trade agreement talks with Israel in response to its expanded military operations in Gaza. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Israel lashed out in response, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the UK of emboldening Hamas. Independent MP Ayoub Khan told Middle East Eye that he was "appalled by our government's shameless hypocrisy". "Just days after suspending trade agreement talks with Israel over its brutal assault on Gaza," he said, "the government has now sent Lord Ian Austin to promote business with the very regime that is responsible for mass murder and devastation." Khan added: "Lord Austin's praise of Israel as a 'great multi-cultural democracy' is an insult to the dead, and to all those still trapped under rubble or living in terror under siege. "I am disgusted by our government's attempt to reward those reponsible for the mass murder of innocent Palestinians with the potential of further trade deals." Austin, who sits as a life peer in the House of Lords, was a Labour MP until he resigned in 2019 under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, citing the party's alleged failure to tackle antisemitism. He was appointed trade envoy to Israel under the previous Conservative government. Islamophobia accusations Austin faced allegations of Islamophobia in 2021 after tweeting a photo of a fake Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavour called 'Hamas Terror Misu' - in response to the company deciding to stop selling its ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements. In 2012, Austin had to publicly apologise after he falsely claimed that Friends of Al-Aqsa, a pro-Palestine campaign group, were Holocaust deniers. Netanyahu accuses UK, France, and Canada of 'emboldening' Hamas after Gaza criticism Read More » And last year, he was suspended as chair of Midland Heart housing association after posting on social media platform X: 'Everyone, better safe than sorry: before you go to bed, nip down and check you haven't inadvertently got a death cult of Islamist murderers and rapists running their operations downstairs. It's easily done.' He has since deleted the post. Austin has denied claims of racism and Islamophobia. Last week, after the UK suspended free trade agreement talks with Israel, Austin wrote a column for PoliticsHome arguing that "thousands of jobs in the UK depend on trade with Israel". He added: "One in eight of the drugs dispensed by the NHS comes from Israeli companies. Every business and family in the country uses Israeli technology in their homes, computers, cars and phones every day. "The RAF would not be able to get its planes off the ground, and British soldiers would have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan without Israeli defence equipment." 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 — UK in Israel 🇬🇧 (@ukinisrael) May 26, 2025 Austin said Britain's "relationship with Israel is worth billions and brings massive benefits to Britain. It is in our national interest, and the decision this week by the government to pause negotiations on a new Free Trade Agreement does not change that. "I'll be visiting Israel next week to show our support and solidarity and to drum up business for Britain. "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."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UK trade representative visits Israel after Britain suspends talks
A British trade envoy has visited Israel to "promote trade" between the two countries - a week after the UK suspended talks. Lord Ian Austin, who is the UK government's trade envoy to Israel, was welcomed to Haifa on Monday, just days after Foreign Secretary David Lammy paused negotiations. The British Embassy in Israel said Lord Austin had visited a number of projects - such as the Customs Scanning Centre, Haifa Bayport, and the Haifa-Nazareth Light Rail project - to "witness co-operation at every stop".The independent peer said he was visiting Israel to "meet businesses and 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," he said. Last Tuesday, the government confirmed it was suspending its trade negotiations with Israel in the wake of an accelerated military offensive in Gaza and the country's decision to limit the amount of aid allowed into the territory. Mr Lammy told the Commons that Israel's actions were "egregious" and amounted to a "dark new phase in this conflict". But despite the suspension of any new trade talks with Israel, Number 10 has insisted that the UK still has a trading relationship with the country. A spokesperson for the prime minister said: "We have always had a trading relationship, but are pausing any new ones." The UK has sanctioned a number of individuals and groups in the West Bank which it said have been linked with acts of violence against Palestinians - including Daniella Weiss, a leading settler activist who was the subject of Louis Theroux's recent documentary The Settlers. Israel criticised the UK government action as "regrettable" and said the free trade agreement talks, which ministers have now backed out of, were "not being advanced at all by the UK government". Lord Austin has previously stressed the importance of the UK's trading relationship with Israel, claiming it is "worth billions and brings massive benefits to Britain". Writing for e, he said: "It is in our national interest, and the decision this week by the government to pause negotiations on a new Free Trade Agreement does not change that. "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."
Middle East Eye
4 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UK envoy arrives in Israel to 'promote trade' a week after Starmer suspends talks
The UK has sent its Israel trade envoy, Lord Ian Austin, to Israel to "promote trade" - less than a week after suspending free trade agreement talks with Israel over its attacks on Gaza. On Monday Austin was in Haifa, where he visited the customs scanning centre, Haifa Bayport and the Haifa-Nazareth Light Rail project. "Greetings from Israel!" the envoy said in a post on X on Monday. "I'm here to meet businesses & officials to promote trade with the UK." Austin added: "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." Just last Tuesday, Britain announced it was summoning the Israeli ambassador in London and suspending its free trade agreement talks with Israel in response to its expanded military operations in Gaza. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Israel lashed out in response, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the UK of emboldening Hamas. Austin, who sits as a life peer in the House of Lords, was a Labour MP until he resigned in 2019 under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, citing the party's alleged failure to tackle antisemitism. He was appointed trade envoy to Israel under the previous Conservative government. Islamophobia accusations Austin faced allegations of Islamophobia in 2021 after tweeting a photo of a fake Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavour called 'Hamas Terror Misu' - in response to the company deciding to stop selling its ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements. In 2012, Austin had to publicly apologise after he falsely claimed that Friends of Al-Aqsa, a pro-Palestine campaign group, were Holocaust deniers. Netanyahu accuses UK, France, and Canada of 'emboldening' Hamas after Gaza criticism Read More » And last year, he was suspended as chair of Midland Heart housing association after posting on social media platform X: 'Everyone, better safe than sorry: before you go to bed, nip down and check you haven't inadvertently got a death cult of Islamist murderers and rapists running their operations downstairs. It's easily done.' He has since deleted the post. Austin has denied claims of racism and Islamophobia. Last week, after the UK suspended free trade agreement talks with Israel, Austin wrote a column for PoliticsHome arguing that "thousands of jobs in the UK depend on trade with Israel". He added: "One in eight of the drugs dispensed by the NHS comes from Israeli companies. Every business and family in the country uses Israeli technology in their homes, computers, cars and phones every day. "The RAF would not be able to get its planes off the ground, and British soldiers would have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan without Israeli defence equipment." 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 — UK in Israel 🇬🇧 (@ukinisrael) May 26, 2025 Austin said Britain's "relationship with Israel is worth billions and brings massive benefits to Britain. It is in our national interest, and the decision this week by the government to pause negotiations on a new Free Trade Agreement does not change that. "I'll be visiting Israel next week to show our support and solidarity and to drum up business for Britain. "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."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Starmer's Israel trade envoy should hang his head in shame
This week, former Labour MP Ian Austin used these pages to argue that Britain should press ahead with a new trade deal with Israel – and ignore the growing calls, including mine, for trade sanctions instead. There's a total moral vacuum at the heart of his argument. He offers a series of statistics and anecdotes about the benefits of trading with Israel, of being its ally. It's a comprehensive list, as you might expect from a member of the trade team intent on doing a deal. To all of that, I say: who cares? Who cares about any of those things – about money, business interests, academic collaboration – every single thing he lists? How can they even begin to compete with the overwhelming moral and legal case not to trade with a regime engaged in war crimes and human rights abuses, let alone on the scale that Israel is? Austin offers us an entirely one-eyed view. He says nothing of international law, of genocide, of famine – as if they don't exist. He cites the Hamas atrocity of Oct 7 2023, rightly so, but says nothing of the ongoing atrocities of Israel in response. There have been more than 50,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since Israel's offensive began, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, of which thousands are children – let that sink in. That is before considering the new abomination of state-sponsored famine as a weapon of war. Instead, he labels Hamas as cowards and claims they hide in hospitals and schools. In saying this, he acts simply as a mouthpiece for Israel, which regularly bombs such places and uses this exact excuse – it happened again this week, another hospital bombing and another 60 civilians dead. How on earth can anyone try to justify this, morally, legally or intellectually? Ian Austin should hang his head in shame. The case for sanctions against Israel is clear and compelling. It's overwhelming, if we act consistently. The precedent we have is Russia – our response to the invasion of Ukraine, the killing of civilians, the destruction of infrastructure and the occupation of lands – was strong and unequivocal. We imposed unprecedented levels of sanctions, one wave after another, and talked openly about breaking the Russian economy to force them to stop. That is the right response. And it stands, for the moment, in stark contrast to how we have reacted to Israel's invasion and occupation of Palestine. Of course, we live in post-truth times, in the second coming of Trump and all that entails for logic, honesty and consistency. But this beggars belief. Trade sanctions for Russia's illegal invasion and war crimes – but trade deals for Israel. Austin says Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. Even if that were true, it cannot justify war crimes and human rights abuses. But it doesn't feel true that Israel is a democracy, especially if you are a Palestinian living under Israeli control in Gaza or the West Bank. It's not for nothing that the International Court of Justice has labelled Israel an apartheid state. There is no case for being an ally of such a country as Israel is under its current government. No case for a trade deal – but there is an overwhelming case for trade sanctions. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
