Starmer raises Middle East stability in call with president-elect Trump

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer raised the Middle East in a call with president-elect Donald Trump last night.

According to a Downing Street spokeswoman, Starmer “reflected on the situation in the Middle East and underscored the importance of regional stability”, in the leaders’ first conversation since Trump was elected.

The Prime Minister congratulated Trump on his “historic victory” and “fondly recalled their meeting in September” held in New York after Starmer had crossed the Atlantic to address the United Nations General Assembly.

Both leaders said they looked forward to working with one another.

Also yesterday, the Prime Minister reiterated concerns over the Knesset’s vote to limit the activities of controversial Palestinian UN agency Unrwa in a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in London yesterday.

According to a Downing Street spokesperson, who described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “devastating”, “the Prime Minister reiterated the importance of Israel allowing Unrwa to continue its operations and allow more aid.”

They continued: “The situation in the West Bank was also deeply concerning, including increased settler violence and the expansion of settlements, both leaders said”, as well as calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

British concerns regarding Israeli action to restrict Unrwa’s activities were also made emphatically by Britain’s representative to the United Nations yesterday. Ambassador Barbara Woodward told a UN General Assembly meeting on Unrwa that the government was “gravely concerned by the Unrwa bills that Israel’s Knesset has passed” and said the UK “unequivocally reject attempts to undermine or degrade Unrwa”.

She continued: “Israel is responsible for ensuring aid reaches civilians in Gaza, and we expect them to abide by their legal obligations and ensure Unrwa can continue its lifesaving work.”

Woodward re-emphasised recent government criticism of the Israeli government over aid currently going into Gaza: “We have made these views very clear to Israel, both in public alongside our international partners, and in our private discussions. My Prime Minister has made clear that there can be no more excuses from Israel when it comes to humanitarian aid.”

Last week, 92 Members of Knesset (MK) voted in favour of barring Unrwa from operating in Israeli territory with only 10 objections. Another bill to restrict the agency’s activities in Gaza and the West Bank was backed 87-9.

Since October 7, the Israeli government has accused Unrwa of employing terrorists involved in the attacks as well as encouraging hate towards Israelis.

These concerns were echoed by former Israeli Labour Party leader Merav Michaeli, who told the JC in an interview that “The reason why there's such an unbelievable consensus in Israel against Unrwa today is because of October 7” and that “a lot of people who work in Unrwa are Hamas's people”.