BICOM

New Business Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday publicly rejected any notion of boycotts targeting Israel and spoke in admiration of Israeli values, pledging to further boost bilateral trade.

Javid was the keynote speaker at the British Israeli Business Awards ceremony in London. He took an unequivocal stance against recent campaigns to delegitimize and isolate Israel, saying that last week’s vote by the National Executive of the National Union of Students to boycott Israel while recently rejecting a motion condemning ISIS “speaks volumes.” Javid said “let me be very clear: I do not believe in boycotts, nor, I am proud to say, does my party, my prime minister or, for the most, part my country.” Javid added that he “had no time for a boycott campaign. Because for me, freedom is an absolute concept.”

Javid also spoke of his admiration for Israel, saying “the values that have made Israel such a success are values that matter a great deal to me. I share Israel’s love for freedom and democracy. I admire its tenacious determination when the odds are stacked against it.” He summarised, “It’s one of the many reasons I have long admired the country.”

Looking to the future, Javid emphasised that UK-Israel trade is already extremely healthy, characterising it by saying “The past few years have been a golden era for Anglo-Israeli business.” And although “Over the past 67 years, Israel has made business bloom in the barren desert,” Javid said “What really excites me are the possibilities for the years that lie ahead.” In a clear commitment, Javid pledged “My department… will be working hard to boost Anglo-Israeli trade and investment, and I as business secretary will do anything I can to support and promote it.”

UK-Israel trade has been growing rapidly in recent years and is currently worth in excess of £4.5 billion, growing by 38 per cent during the first eight months of 2014 to reach record levels.