Welsh Tories make historic first Israel trip

Conservative Friends of Israel have led their first ever delegation of Welsh Tories to Israel.

The group from Wales took part in a series of high-level meetings with Israeli politicians, academics and journalists, and visited Israel’s financial technology hub ’The Floor’.

They met with MKs Yaakov Peri and Michael Oren, Founding Editor of the Times of Israel, David Horovitz, and an adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organisation Negotiations Department.

The CFI delegation toured Save a Child’s Heart, who provide life-saving surgery for children, Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service, and the first Palestinian-planned city of Rawabi. They also visited Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust museum and met with the Israel-Britain Chamber of Commerce in Tel Aviv, promoting bilateral ties.

Consisting of a number of Welsh Tories visiting the Jewish state for the first time, the group included the Director of the Conservative Party in Wales, and Assembly Member Darren Millar, Shadow Secretary for Education and Children.

Speaking to Jewish News, Millar said: “The Welsh Conservatives are very much looking forward to our first ever delegation to Israel. I have visited the Holy Land on a number of occasions and am excited to share the experience with many of my fellow Conservative Assembly Members. It’s sure to be a fascinating week of meetings exploring ways to further existing political, cultural, economic and security ties with the Jewish State”.

James Gurd, Conservative Friends of Israel Executive Director said: “CFI was delighted to coordinate the first-ever visit to Israel by the Welsh Conservatives. The packed itinerary enabled the delegates to see Israel beyond the usual headlines – a young and vibrant country with world-leading medical innovations and important peaceful coexistence programmes. It was exciting to see the clear determination of the six Conservative Assembly Members to deepen the growing ties between Wales and the Jewish state, particularly in the fields of bilateral trade and high-tech collaboration”.