UK politicians criticise Lammy over undisclosed meeting with Israeli foreign minister

LONDON (Realist News Agency). Senior UK politicians have criticised Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy after it emerged that he held an unannounced meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Moshe Sa’ar in February, at the height of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The meeting, which was not disclosed in official Labour communications, has sparked accusations of secrecy and disregard for mounting public concern over the war.

According to a report by Middle East Eye, the meeting took place during the Munich Security Conference and was later published in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official records. British MPs, including members of the Labour left and opposition parties, have called the omission “deeply troubling” and damaging to trust in Labour’s foreign policy messaging.

Zarah Sultana, Labour MP for Coventry South, said it was “unacceptable” for a senior Labour figure to engage with a minister from a government accused by UN experts of committing war crimes, without informing the public. Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, argued that Lammy appeared to be “hiding” the meeting, especially as it came amid growing calls for a ceasefire from UK civil society.

Labour insiders defended the meeting as a “routine diplomatic engagement” and emphasised the importance of dialogue with all sides. However, critics note that while Labour has met Israeli officials, no equivalent high-level meetings with Palestinian representatives have been disclosed.

The controversy reflects deepening divisions within Labour over its approach to the Gaza war and Middle East diplomacy. As public pressure builds and elections near, Keir Starmer faces growing demands to articulate a clearer position on human rights and international law.

The lack of transparency around Lammy’s meeting with Sa’ar underscores Labour’s ongoing struggle to balance realpolitik with moral clarity. In an environment where public scrutiny is high and voter sentiment volatile, withholding such information may erode credibility — not only on foreign policy, but on the party’s broader claim to integrity.