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Media Summary

Israel must be trade priority for UK, says think tank

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The Daily Telegraph reports that economists from think tank Open Europe have identified establishing trade agreements with Israel as a priority for the UK. Open Europe identified Israel along with a number of other countries as having “the best combination of growth, location and demand for British goods”. The economists recommend that the UK should use “investment treaties, targeted agreements…and free trade agreements”  to make deals with the top ten targeted countries; a group that represents £41bn of untapped potential by 2030.

The Times and Daily Telegraph reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu has cancelled a meeting with the German foreign minister following the latter’s meeting with Breaking the Silence and B’Tselem. A spokesman for Netanyahu said: “Imagine if foreign diplomats visiting the US or Britain met with NGOs that call American or British soldiers war criminals. Leaders of those countries would surely not accept this.”

The i also covers this story, reporting that German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabrial later said: “ You can absolutely be sure we are committed to the special relationship [with Israel] and nothing will change this.”

The Times reports that artists, directors, musicians and an archbishop have written to Radiohead urging the band to cancel a concert in Tel Aviv Israel, criticising the group for “ignoring a call to stand against the denial of…[Human] rights when it comes to Palestinians”.

All the Israeli media report on the cancellation of the meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. Nahum Barnea in Yediot Ahronoth wrote that he finds “the activity of Breaking the Silence and other left wing organisations abroad to be unacceptable…The fact that they are supported to a large degree by donations from foreign governments and organisations does not speak in their favour… However, these two organisations operate within the law. One can respect their battle for human rights; one can criticise them and even boycott them, but one cannot prevent foreign visitors from meeting with them. Anshel Pfeffer in Haaretz argues that “provoking such an incident with a politically weak German foreign minister at the end of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day is a blatant appeal to Netanyahu’s right-wing base. It gained him kudos even from bitter rivals in his own ideological camp”. The Times of Israel reports that shortly after the meeting between FM Gabriel and Betselem, the Israeli organisation called on the international community to punish Israel for the continued occupation of the West Bank.

Maariv quotes a senior IDF Officer who claimed that about a month and a half ago Israel destroyed approximately 100 Syrian army missiles that were meant for Hezbollah.

Israel Radio report remarks by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley that the UN’s attitude towards Israel was beginning to change.

Maariv reports that housing units in settlement blocs which have been cleared in the government’s latest announcements are being held up.

The Times of Israel and Yediot Ahronoth report that an Iranian “attack craft” aggressively approached a US Navy destroyer in Persian Gulf.