UK鈥檚 Cameron meets Netanyahu, visits southern Israel

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen visit Kibbutz Beeri following the Oct. 7 deadly attack by Hamas, in southern Israel, on Nov. 23, 2023. (Reuters)
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  • Cameron was due to meet Palestinian leaders later to discuss the way forward in the crisis
  • 鈥淚 wanted to come here in person ... to see just the true nature of the horrific attacks that you faced,鈥� Cameron told Netanyahu

JERUSALEM: British Foreign Secretary David Cameron met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday after visiting the south of the country to see for himself the communities affected by last month鈥檚 Hamas attacks.
Britain鈥檚 Foreign Office said former prime minister Cameron, who was appointed to the foreign policy brief last week, was due to meet Palestinian leaders later to discuss the way forward in the crisis.
鈥淚 wanted to come here in person ... to see just the true nature of the horrific attacks that you faced, I think that鈥檚 very important to do that and see that, we stand with the people of Israel,鈥� Cameron told Netanyahu.
Cameron鈥檚 visit came as war raged on in Gaza, with a proposed truce and release of hostages delayed for at least another day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important we talk about this potential humanitarian pause. I think it鈥檚 an opportunity to crucially get the hostages out and to get aid into Gaza,鈥� Cameron added. 鈥淚 hope everyone who is responsible and behind this agreement can make it happen.鈥�
Netanyahu said getting the hostages out was 鈥渘ot without its challenges鈥� but Israel was committed to getting everyone out.
鈥淏ut we鈥檒l continue with our war aims, namely to eradicate Hamas, because Hamas has already promised that they will do this again and again and again,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no hope for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, between Israel and the Arab states, if we don鈥檛 eradicate this murderous movement that threatens the future of all of us.鈥�
Earlier Cameron, wearing a flak jacket, toured damaged buildings in Kibbutz Be鈥檈ri in southern Israel with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, telling reporters he had 鈥渉eard things and seen things that obviously I will never forget.鈥�
Cameron met counterparts from Arab and Islamic countries in London on Wednesday to discuss the conflict.
Both British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Cameron鈥檚 predecessor James Cleverly have visited Israel since fighting began last month.