President Herzog welcomes new British ambassador to Israel
search

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here

President Herzog welcomes new British ambassador to Israel

'Israel & the UK have excellent relations, we will continue to work to strengthen them,' Herzog said. 

Israel's President Herzog and British ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters. Credit: Haim Zach/ GPO
Israel's President Herzog and British ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters. Credit: Haim Zach/ GPO

President Isaac Herzog welcomed Simon Walters, the new British ambassador to Israel, on Tuesday. 

“My family’s story has deep ties to the UK. Michal & I were honoured to represent Israel at the Royal funeral & coronation. Israel & the UK have excellent relations, we will continue to work to strengthen them,” Herzog said.

The Northern Irish-born diplomat was named as Neil Wigan’s successor in January. Walters served in Israel as Consul in Jerusalem between 2008 and 2011 and has spoken affectionately of his time there, during which his younger son was born in Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital.

Walters has previously praised the strategic relationship between Britain and Israel and the importance of the trade relationship between the two countries, which he said he hoped to built upon in Tel Aviv.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and British Ambassador to Israel Simon Walters with their wives. Credit: Haim Zach/ GPO

A Middle East specialist who has most recently served as the Foreign Office’s director of national security for the region, Mr Walters said Britain and Israel had worked closely together on counterterrorism issues, and praised Israel for its “unsung role” in the defeat of Daesh, or Isis.

Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

read more: