Theresa May raises 'concern' over Gaza violence with Israeli PM
2 min read
Theresa May has told Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu she was “concerned” about the killing of Palestinian protesters in Gaza.
The Prime Minister raised the issue with her counterpart in a face-to-face meeting in front of TV cameras in Downing Street yesterday.
But Mr Netanyahu said protesters were "being paid for and pushed by Hamas to try to break into Israel's defences".
More than 100 Palestinians died and 10,000 were injured after Israeli forces used live rounds during protests along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel in April and May.
"We have been concerned about the loss of Palestinian lives," Mrs May told the Israeli Prime Minister.
"As you know, the UK absolutely recognises the right that Israel has for self-defence against the activities of extremists and terrorists.
"But with 100 Palestinian lives lost and a deteriorating situation in Gaza, I hope we can talk about how we can alleviate that situation and how we can ensure that we can get back to a position where we are able to find a way through to talk about a two-state solution."
But Mr Netanyahu said the problems in Gaza were "rooted in the fundamental goal of Hamas to destroy Israel".
He added: "We are not witnessing a peaceful protest. In addition to burning our fields, these people are being paid for and pushed by Hamas to try to break into Israel's defences, kill as many Israelis as they can when they get through the border and kidnap our soldiers.
"This is not a non-violent protest, quite the contrary. We are doing everything we can to both minimise casualties and at the same time protect Israeli lives.”
Last month Mrs May called for an independent investigation into the latest violence - a call her Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday reiterated.
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