Exclusive: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to visit the UK next week

According to Middle East Eye, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar is planning to visit the United Kingdom next week. Multiple sources close to the British government have confirmed that Sa'ar is expected to make an official visit, most likely on Thursday of next week. However, the UK Foreign Office has declined to comment on the matter, maintaining a neutral stance for now.

News of this visit comes as Sa'ar attempts to defend Israel's recent decision to cut off aid to Gaza, claiming without providing evidence that humanitarian aid is fueling Hamas. Sa'ar stated on March 4th, "Aid that goes to Hamas is not humanitarian aid." He portrayed the blockade as legitimate, despite it being considered an act of collective punishment under international law, sparking further debate on its legality.

The British government has previously criticized Israel's blockade of Gaza, including the decision to cut off electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip, warning that it "could violate Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law." Given that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, this visit by a high-ranking Israeli minister is expected to generate controversy, particularly among human rights advocates.

Furthermore, the visit comes at an awkward time for the UK Labour government. Emily Thornberry, chair of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee, requested government intervention on Tuesday after Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharon Haskel secretly filmed her and posted the video on Instagram. Thornberry told Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer: "Footage of our meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister in the Israeli Knesset has been posted on Instagram." She added that she was unaware of being filmed and was very unhappy about it, raising concerns about diplomatic etiquette and privacy.

Sa'ar is likely to face tough questioning next week. As a key figure in Netanyahu's government, he strongly opposes the two-state solution, stating in November last year that "establishing a Palestinian state today is equivalent to establishing a Hamas state." On this issue and others, Sa'ar's positions are sharply at odds with the British government, which officially supports the two-state solution and recently announced its support for Egypt's Gaza reconstruction plan, highlighting the complexities of the diplomatic engagement.