Kemi Badenoch on Gaza

Kemi Badenoch, in her role as the UK's business secretary, has actively pursued the finalisation of an upgraded trade agreement with Israel throughout its military operations in Gaza. These negotiations, including in-person discussions in London, proceeded even as UN agencies reported high Palestinian death tolls and the Israeli government planned further military action. She has also continued to authorise British arms exports to Israel during this period. The negotiations are framed as playing to British strengths in services and digital sectors, with the Israeli counterpart calling her a "true friend of the state of Israel."

During a parliamentary debate, Badenoch expressed solidarity with Israel in its fight against Islamist terror, stating that a sustainable end to suffering in Gaza requires the complete eradication of Hamas. She welcomed a US-backed peace plan breakthrough dependent on hostage release. However, she heavily criticised the current government's perceived lack of clear support for Israel, noting that UK relations had been strained and that the recognition of a state of Palestine, without conditioning it on hostage release, was praised by Hamas and called a "moral failure" by a former hostage.