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start-ups in both our countries, we are building on this joint lead as two science superpowers. And we are starting with a new Britain-Israel partnership fund focused on scientific research.”

Johnson looked forward to a UK-Israel innovation summit set for London in March 2022. And he was fulsome in his praise of Israel as an innovative nation due to its liberal values, democracy and freedom to think and create bound up with enterprise and healthy competition.

Johnson added, “All my life I have been a defender and a supporter of Israel and I’m very proud that the Government which I lead is also a staunch defender and supporter of Israel,” he said. “As I discussed with President Herzog on his visit to London last week, it is a relationship that is getting stronger and stronger.”

Referring to a joint Memorandum of Understanding signed by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Monday morning, he added, “This roadmap will deepen and expand cooperation on joint priorities such as security, science, tech, and R&D.”

Johnson said that over 10,000 businesses in the UK were trading with Israel to the tune of £4.6 billion but called for more beginning with an enhanced UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement at the start of next year.

“I believe trade and economic development and improvements in shared infrastructure will be indispensable to a future for the whole region,” he noted.

Johnson hailed the Abraham Accords

Boris Johnson and Tzipi Hotovely

PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL

as the “beginning of a new chapter for the region” and said he was “inspired” by the recent green water deal involving Jordan and Israel.

Turning his attention to the fight against terrorism, Johnson noted, to rapturous applause, that the UK’s decision to proscribe Hamas in its entirety, once and for all.

Johnson added that Israel could count on his support in the struggle against antisemitism abroad with opposition to the Durban IV conference then deplored the

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treatment of Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely recently at LSE University.

To this end, Johnson said that the government had brought forward its bill on academic freedom and praised far-sighted universities for adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism first adopted by the UK at a CFI lunch in 2016.

Johnson added that legislation was coming to stop public bodies pursuing BDS campaigns against Israel.

Moving on to domestic matters, Johnson lamented that there was still prejudices in the Labour Party.

He concluded, “In this season of miracles let us continue to hope that with the UK and Israel continuing to work together, as science superpowers united in values our shared discoveries, our shared breakthroughs and our shared efforts will offer protection not just to our two countries but for the entire world.”

Lapid addressed the large crowd, and like Johnson, received a standing ovation.

Israel’s Foreign Minister forcefully stressed the issues concerning the Iranian regime.

“The struggle between law-abiding democracies and murderous terrorist organisations is not a struggle between narratives. It is a struggle between good and evil,” he said. “Too many people have concluded that the strong are always wrong, and the weak are always right. Even when the strong are law-abiding democracies like Britain or Israel.”

Lapid added, “We have the right to defend ourselves. Our children will not grow up in shelters under rocket fire, something the British understand. This industry of lies, uses democracy against democracy, international law against those who uphold it, our fairness and decency against us.”

He continued, “The new President of

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Priti Patel in conversation with Yair Lapid and Lord Polak

PHOTO: STUART MITCHELL

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