Board President calls for UK embassy move to Jerusalem at CFI reception
Prime Minister Liz Truss heard both Marie van der Zyl and Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely call for embassy move at packed Tory conference event in Birmingham
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Liz Truss has been greeted with renewed calls to move the UK embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem at the Conservative Friends of Israel reception event at Tory Party conference.
The Prime Minister spoke herself at Sunday’s gathering, but earlier heard Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl and Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely urge her to proceed with the embassy move.
The Board’s President told the audience:”We are really hopeful that the government is going to move the embassy, like America, to Jerusalem – the capital of Israel.”
.@BoDPres Marie van der Zyl speaking at the @CFoI reception, about the need to proscribe the IRGC and the hope that the UK embassy will soon move to Jerusalem, as Israel’s capital. pic.twitter.com/7IdR56oaaD
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) October 2, 2022
In her speech Ambassador Hotovely spoke of the PM’s pledge to “review” the embassy move.
She added:”Nothing can be more significant to show the friendship between Israel and the UK than this step.”
Explaining her reasoning, Hotovely added:”There is just one capital to the UK, and that is London.
“There is just one capital to Israel, Jerusalem.
“For the last two thousand years it’s been Jerusalem, always our spiritual home. We can’t ignore the historic truth.”
Hotovely also claimed that when America, under former President Donald Trump, moved their embassy to Jerusalem, this decision “promoted peace.”
She said the Abraham Accords were born after this move took place.
When she spoke to loud cheers, the PM confirmed her pledge to review the possible embassy move, and also spoke of her determination to stop Iran getting nuclear weapons, and her determination to proceed with the Westminster Holocaust Memorial.
Government minister Robert Jenrick also repeated his claim that a plot of land had been earmarked in Jerusalem for the UK embassy.
Other speakers at the packed event included Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Liam Fox.
Others to attend the event included Lord Pickles, Theresa Villers MP and NJA chief Gary Mond.
The Board President’s comments on the embassy had the “total support” for the NJA, Mond later confirmed.
Jewish News will provide further coverage of all speeches on Monday.
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