Netanyahu to UK, German FMs: Thanks, but we make our own decisions

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Israel's allies for their support and advice, but stressed that Israel would be making its own decisions, after meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday.

During the meeting with Cameron and Baerbock, Netanyahu insisted on Israel's right to self defense. Netanyahu thanked the two foreign ministers for their unequivocal support for Israel.

The prime minister also presented the foreign ministers with updates about humanitarian aid efforts to Gaza and the continuation of the war in Gaza. Netanyahu rejected claims that there is a famine in Gaza and insisted that Israel is going "above and beyond" on humanitarian issues.

In a cabinet meeting after the meeting between the ministers, Netanyahu thanked Israel's friends for "their support for the defense of Israel."

The prime minister also took a dig at Israel's allies "they also have all kinds of suggestions and advice, I appreciate it, but I want to make it clear - we will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself."

Cameron and Baerbock arrived in Israel on Wednesday morning.

Following a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and President Isaac Herzog, Cameron told reporters, "It's clear the Israelis are making a decision to act," regarding a response to Iran's drone and ballistic missile attack on Saturday.

"We hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible," Cameron expressed.

He added that Britain wants to see coordinated sanctions against Iran. "They need to be given a clear unequivocal message by the G7," he stated. 

An opportunity to change the state of the region

FM Katz said to the British and German officials, "Now is our opportunity to change the region, call the Revolutionary Guards by their real name, a terrorist organization, and impose sanctions on Iran's missile project."

Baerbock is scheduled to meet with war cabinet minister and National Unity MK Benny Gantz in the early afternoon Wednesday, Gantz's office reported.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Baerbock stated on Tuesday, "Iran is playing with the fate of all people in the Middle East and has led an entire region to the brink of the abyss. The aim now is to stop Iran without further escalation. Iran's plan to create further violence must not work."

Iran spielt mit dem Schicksal aller Menschen im Nahen & Mittleren Osten und hat eine ganze Region an den Abgrund geführt. Es geht jetzt darum, Iran Einhalt zu gebieten, ohne dass es zu einer weiteren Eskalation kommt. Irans Kalkül, weitere Gewalt zu säen, darf nicht aufgehen. 1/3

— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) April 16, 2024

She also assured that Israel has Germany's full support and highlighted "many dozens of Israeli hostages who are still being held captive in Hamas tunnels." She called for their release. 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked the two officials for their support in a post on X.

Thank you UK Foreign Secretary @David_Cameron and German Foreign Minister @ABaerbock. I appreciate our warm discussion together this morning in Jerusalem. Thank you for both the UK and Germany’s strong stand alongside Israel in the face of the reprehensible attack by Iran. The… pic.twitter.com/i8R21gYdHn

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) April 17, 2024

"Thank you, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock; I appreciate our warm discussion together this morning in Jerusalem. Thank you for both the UK and Germany’s strong stand alongside Israel in the face of the reprehensible attack by Iran. The whole world must work decisively and defiantly against the threat posed by the Iranian regime, which is seeking to undermine the stability of the whole region," Herzog said in his post.

UK FM Cameron met with officials in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday to express his condemnation of Iran's attack, as well as to express "the need to work with partners in the region to de-escalate tensions," he said in a statement on X.