Portrait of Rishi Sunak
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Rishi Sunak on Israel

Strong supporter (strong)

TL;DR

Rishi Sunak has consistently voiced strong, unequivocal support for Israel's right to defend itself following attacks.

Key Points

  • In an October 2023 statement, he affirmed that Israel has "every right to defend itself against terror."

  • He announced an additional £20 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza in October 2023, more than doubling previous support.

  • In April 2024, he resisted calls to suspend arms sales to Israel, stating the export licensing regime is kept under review.

Summary

Rishi Sunak, as Prime Minister, affirmed the United Kingdom's "unequivocal" support for Israel, stating this backing was for Israel "not just today, not just tomorrow, but always" after the October 7 Hamas attacks. He has consistently stressed that Israel has every right to defend itself against terror and restore its security. His initial statements focused heavily on solidarity with Israel and addressing the surge in antisemitism in the UK, although he has also acknowledged the terrible suffering of Palestinian civilians and the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He stressed the need to work towards a two-state solution as an essential path forward for regional stability.

His government's position has been characterised by calls for the delivery of increased humanitarian aid into Gaza, including committing significant extra funding, and deploying military assets to monitor regional threats. While initially resisting calls for an immediate full ceasefire, he later supported calls for a "sustainable ceasefire" contingent on the release of all hostages and cessation of attacks on Israel. Furthermore, he faced growing domestic pressure to suspend UK arms sales to Israel, a call his government resisted while maintaining that the export licensing regime is kept under review.

Key Quotes

We've always had a very careful export licensing regime that we adhere to. There are a set of rules, regulations and procedures that we'll always follow

And I stressed again the need to act in line with international humanitarian law and take every possible step to avoid harming civilians. It was a message delivered by a close friend and ally. I say it again, we stand with Israel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rishi Sunak's core position is one of strong and unequivocal support for Israel's right to defend itself following attacks like the one on October 7, 2023. He has stated that this support is steadfast, extending beyond the immediate crisis. He maintains that confronting terror threats against Israel is a priority for the UK government.

He initially rejected calls for a full ceasefire, arguing it would only benefit Hamas. However, his stance evolved to support calls for a "sustainable ceasefire." This was conditional upon all Israeli hostages being released and attacks against Israel ceasing.

Rishi Sunak has repeatedly stressed the need to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza, noting the growing crisis. During his premiership, he announced that the UK was providing an additional £20 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in the territory, more than doubling the initial commitment.