BICOM

Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum congratulated Theresa May as she made her way into Downing Street yesterday as Prime Minister.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent May a warm letter of welcome and congratulations as she took office. Netanyahu also took the opportunity to praise May’s predecessor David Cameron, whom he thanked for “standing beside Israel, the good relations and the strengthening of ties” during his tenure as prime minister.

Meanwhile, leader of Israel’s opposition, Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog expressed “many congratulations” to Prime Minister May, adding that “Under your leadership Israeli-British ties will surely continue to flourish”.

Herzog’s Zionist Union colleague, former-Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said: “To see a woman in the halls of global power is exciting” and that May should “See Israel as a steadfast partner.”

Earlier this week, Israel’s former-Ambassador to the UK, Daniel Taub called May a “long-standing friend of Israel”. She visited Israel in summer 2014 and during the same period expressed understanding for the “considerable” security threats facing Israel and the need therefore to “maintain a strong defence and security capability and be prepared to deploy it if necessary”.

One of May’s first decisions upon taking office yesterday was to appoint former London Mayor Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary. During a visit to Israel and Palestinian areas of the West Bank in November, Johnson visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and opened trading at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. He expressed admiration for Israeli “audacity, the bravery, the willingness to take risks with feats of outrageous derring-do”.

During the same visit, Johnson also took aim at those who support boycotts of Israel. He said: “I cannot think of anything more foolish [than to boycott] a country that when all is said and done is the only democracy in the region, the only place that has in my view a pluralist open society.”