Trending 
The UK’s decision to send Trade Envoy Ian Austin to Israel this week has generated backlash, coming just days after London announced a pause in free trade negotiations with the country due to its bombardment in Gaza.
The British Embassy in Tel Aviv shared that Austin toured several locations at Haifa Port, highlighting cooperation between the UK and Israel across multiple sectors.
This visit follows the UK government’s strongest condemnation yet of Israeli military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza was labelled “abominable,” and free trade talks were formally halted in protest.
Critics have questioned the timing and optics of Austin’s trip.
Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), wrote on X: “Why is the UK sending its extremist trade envoy to Israel, a man who is an apologist for war crimes, at a time when the UK has ended talks on a new free trade deal?”
Despite recent tough rhetoric from officials such as Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who described Israel’s military campaign as “dangerous, repellent, and monstrous,” many observers argue that Austin’s presence in Israel signals conflicting signals from the UK government.
Sky News Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall commented, “Last week, the UK government suspended free trade negotiations with Israel in protest at the war in Gaza. This week, the UK’s trade envoy is touring Israel. Slightly mixed messaging.”
