The UK Foreign Office has confirmed that Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar during an unannounced visit to London, which was described by officials as “private”. Despite the visit being unofficial, Lammy discussed a wide range of Middle East issues with Sa’ar amid Israel’s renewed offensive in Gaza following the collapse of a ceasefire.
The visit sparked criticism and legal action from human rights organisations. The Global Legal Action Network (Glan), a UK-based group focused on legal redress for vulnerable communities, and the Brussels based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), which advocates for legal accountability over Israel’s actions in Gaza, submitted a request for an arrest warrant against Sa’ar. They accused him of complicity in war crimes due to his role in Israel’s security cabinet and public statements regarding Gaza.
The organisations submitted letters to the UK’s attorney general and the director of public prosecutions and indicated they had prepared an application for Westminster magistrates court.
Sa’ar’s visit was not publicised by his office or the Israeli embassy, which declined to comment. The Israeli government continues to deny any wrongdoing and does not recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
HRF, which has pursued legal cases against Israeli officials abroad, has faced backlash in Israel. Its founders, Dyab Abou Jahjah and Karim Hassoun, have been accused of sympathising with groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. HRF rejected these claims, stating that while its founders support the right to resist occupation under international law, neither are affiliated with political parties in Lebanon.
During their meeting, Lammy reportedly discussed urgent issues such as the humanitarian situation in Gaza, protection of aid workers, settlement expansion in the West Bank, and Iranian nuclear concerns. He also pressed the need for continued UK parliamentary visits to the region, after two Labour MPs were recently barred from entering Israel.
According to Glan and the HRF, Sa’ar played a central role in shaping Israeli policy that has led to what they described as mass civilian suffering in Gaza. The groups referenced the ICC’s recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, citing an estimated 51,000 deaths in Gaza over the past 18 months and severe restrictions on aid.
They also accused Israel of targeting Gaza’s infrastructure and health services, including the siege of the Kamal Adwan hospital and the detention and alleged torture of its medical director, Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya. Sa’ar’s public support for withholding aid and expanding territorial control in Gaza were cited as further evidence of his involvement in potential war crimes.
The Israeli government, along with Sa’ar, has rejected such legal efforts as antisemitic. In January, Sa’ar claimed these prosecutions aimed to delegitimise Israel’s right to defend itself, calling the campaign “systematic and antisemitic”.
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