The threat of Islamic fundamentalism was high on the agenda this week as Israel’s President Chaim Herzog met British leaders during the first official visit to Britain by an Israeli head of state.
In talks, due to take place Thursday with Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd and Friday with Prime Minister John Major, the president was expected to raise the danger posed by Iranian-backed terrorists, including Hamas.
The president, arriving in the wake of the expulsion of 415 Hamas activists from the administered territories, also showed himself ready to answer criticism of Israel’s tactics.
Addressing a dinner hosted by the lord chancellor, Lord Mackay, on Tuesday — the first day of his four-day visit — Herzog pointed out that despite the fundamentalist onslaught the law reigns supreme in Israel.
He continued: “It is not for me to burden you with the details and manner in which this war is being conducted in many countries. Suffice to say that (unlike in Israel) there are no supreme courts to which one can apply.
“There are no media to report. The issues are dealt with summarily, in an unequivocal manner which would hardly meet with your lordship’s approval.”
The president again echoed Israel’s growing concern in an address on Wednesday to Joint Israel Appeal fund-raisers. He told them Islamic fundamentalism is “the greatest single danger to the free world today,” combining “religious fanaticism and abysmal hatred” with efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
“We as part of the free world must continue to raise our voice in warning against the spread of Islamic fundamentalism backed by Iran,” he said.
NEW WARMTH IN RELATIONS
In addition to Islamic fundamentalism, Herzog said he would discuss the Arab boycott of Israel with Major and Hurd.
“I will tell them that Britain should pass legislation outlawing the boycott.”
He said he would also be requesting that Britain help locate missing Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.
Herzog’s official visit, at the invitation of the British government, underlines the new warmth in relations between London and Jerusalem.
There have been previous visits by Israeli heads of state, and Herzog himself was knighted by the queen. But the visits were not official state trips, and all points of protocol were not followed in those instances.
This visit, British sources said, served to illustrate Britain’s desire to help keep the Middle East peace process alive.
Despite the seriousness of the issues discussed, the visit had all the pomp and ceremony associated with a state visit.
On Wednesday, Herzog and his wife, Aura, heard a Coldstream Guards band play “Hatikvah,” for the first time at Buckingham Palace, before lunching with the queen.
It was “the best version of ‘Hatikvah’ I have ever heard,” said Herzog.
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