BICOM

British Foreign Secretary William Hague met yesterday with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, at the Foreign Office in London. Lieberman is currently conducting a three day visit to the UK. The meeting lasted an hour. Hague said that he viewed Israel as a “close friend of long standing.” He also reiterated the current British government’s commitment to maintaining a strong relationship with Israel. The two confirmed that the UK/Israel Strategic Dialogue, which was incorrectly reported last year as suspended during Hague’s visit to Israel, would continue, and that its next meeting would take place in Jerusalem on 17 March. Hague also stressed UK concerns regarding the current stalemate in the peace process. He said that Britain considered that the window for peace was closing, and that the status quo and continued occupation were eroding international support for Israel. Hague also reiterated the British government’s support for an immediate freeze on construction in settlements in the West Bank.