NEW YORK – World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder met today with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the U.K.’s Mission to the United Nations, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The two leaders discussed the global rise in antisemitism and escalating tensions in the Middle East following the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.
The Foreign Secretary, who has visited Israel twice in his current role and has an extensive record of engaging with the Jewish community throughout his political career, reaffirmed the U.K.’s commitment to addressing these critical issues. Lammy has actively raised the plight of hostages taken by Hamas and was commended during the meeting for his efforts to keep this humanitarian crisis in the spotlight.
During the meeting, Amb. Lauder expressed his appreciation for Lammy's close collaboration with the Board of Deputies of British Jews, WJC’s U.K. affiliate, particularly in tackling antisemitism within the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. Amb. Lauder stressed the need for ongoing support of Israel as it defends itself against terrorism. He reminded Lammy that Israel remains one of the U.K.'s closest allies, whereas the extremist ideologies of Hamas and Hezbollah pose threats not only to Israel but to the values shared by both the U.K. and Israel.
Amb. Lauder also raised concerns about the U.K.’s recent partial suspension of arms licenses for Israel, urging the U.K. to maintain its strong partnership with Israel and underscoring its right to self-defense in the wake of terror attacks.
In a statement following the meeting, Amb. Lauder said: “I want to extend my deepest thanks to Foreign Secretary David Lammy for his time, his leadership and his unwavering commitment to protecting the Jewish community in the United Kingdom amid rising threats. The Foreign Secretary has demonstrated this commitment through his numerous visits to Israel and his close engagement with the U.K. Jewish community. His continued efforts to highlight the plight of the hostages taken by Hamas, as well as his ongoing coordination with the Board of Deputies of British Jews, reflect his dedication to our shared cause."
Lauder added, “While recent decisions regarding arms licenses are a point of concern, it’s essential to remember that Israel remains the U.K.’s friend and ally. The values of Hamas and Hezbollah do not align with those of the United Kingdom, and Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism must be supported at every level.”
“At this delicate time in international relations, I thank the foreign secretary for his engagement and wish him every success in his work towards international peace and security,” Lauder said.
The WJC meeting was one of more than a dozen this week with global leaders, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In all those meetings, Amb. Lauder raised the concerns of the global Jewish community, including rising antisemitism, the Israel-Hamas War and the plight of the Hamas-held hostages.
He also cautioned against tolerating rising antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7. In his direct conversations with leaders from Europe, Asia and South America, Amb. Lauder commended those who have worked to protect their Jewish communities from violent antisemitism and issued an urgent plea for leaders around the world to stem the spread of hateful extremism.
In remarks at a Monday event co-hosted by UNESCO and France, Amb. Lauder recognized freed hostage Aviva Siegel, the wife of Keith Siegel, who remains captive, and the family of Itay Chen, who was killed on October 7.
On Tuesday, WJC hosted an event at Neue Galerie honoring Czech President Petr Pavel for his leadership in support of the Czech Jewish community and Israel. “In the face of mounting antisemitism, it is our collective duty to ensure that such hatred and violence never take root again,” President Pavel said at the gathering, co-hosted by the Czech Republic’s permanent UN mission. Multiple families of hostages in Gaza also attended that WJC event.
“This is no ordinary moment for the Jewish people, and the tone of my meetings throughout the week matched the gravity of the circumstances facing global Jewry,” said Amb. Lauder. “Israel remains under threat by Iranian proxies. More than 100 innocent civilians remain in Hamas captivity. Antisemitism has risen sharply around the globe. The World Jewish Congress depends on partners in government, business and civil society to root out antisemitism and ensure the resilience of Jewish communities large and small.”
During UNGA, Amb. Lauder also held meetings with:
- U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt
- U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy
- President of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini
- Foreign Minister of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan
- President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda
- Foreign Minister of Italy, Antonio Tajani
- President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola
- Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis
- Foreign Minister of Greece, Giorgos Gerapetritis
- Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Alberto van Klaveren
- Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, José Manuel Albares Bueno
- Foreign Minister of Sweden, Malmer Stenergard
- Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg
Additional bilateral meetings took place between WJC representatives and national delegations in New York during the General Assembly, including with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Bećirović. Amb. Lauder also spoke alongside French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot at an event hosted by UNESCO and honored Czech President Petr Pavel at a reception for diplomats.
