Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told more than 1,600 guests at Bnei Akiva's Yom Hazikaron/Yom Ha’atzmaut event at Kinloss in Finchley that “what Israel has achieved in a mere seven decades is nothing short of remarkable.
"From those founding fathers who turned the desert into an oasis after the darkest period in Jewish history, Israel has blossomed.”
He went on to describe Israel as a “light unto the nations”, exporting its achievements around the world. He highlighted the work of Israeli NGO Innovation:Africa, which “gives the gift of electricity and clean water to remote African villages”, adding that Israeli humanitarian relief teams were often the first to support victims of natural disasters.
Not only did Britain and the UK face shared security threats - “our relationship is underpinned by a shared sense of values: justice, compassion, tolerance”.
