Isaac Herzog: Iran is Seeking to Create a 'Ring of Siege' Around Israel

The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, stated during a meeting with the new British Foreign Secretary David Lammy that Iran is attempting to establish a 'ring of siege' around Israel through its proxy forces. According to Israeli media, Herzog mentioned on Monday, July 16, that Israel is fighting against this 'evil empire' which aims to disrupt global stability and is rapidly advancing towards acquiring a bomb, undermining global trade. He emphasized that Israel is 'a nation seeking peace' and believes it should reach peace with its neighbors. Israel had previously urged the conservative British governments, which were in power until two weeks ago, to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The Guardian reported last week that Lammy and officials from the new London government stated that designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization requires further examination, especially since a 'reformist' figure has recently assumed the presidency in Iran. However, the Israeli Foreign Minister stated that the only way to understand the changes following the recent Iranian presidential elections is to label the IRGC as a terrorist organization and to increase sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Herzog also mentioned that Israel is continuing its 'tireless' efforts to bring back Israeli citizens who have been kidnapped and are held hostage by the extremist group Hamas in Gaza. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Herzog added that the hostages are 'in horrific conditions' and their lives are in real danger, making their freedom a key issue for Israel. Israeli media reported that Lammy met with Herzog while wearing a yellow ribbon, which has become a symbol of the movement to free kidnapped Israeli citizens. During the meeting, Lammy called for an 'end to suffering' and 'unbearable casualties in Gaza.' Michal Herzog, the wife of the Israeli President, also raised the issue of sexual violence by Hamas members against Israeli women and girls during her meeting with the British Foreign Secretary. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz emphasized that there will be no ceasefire until the release of the kidnapped Israeli citizens. The war between the Israeli army and the extremist group Hamas has been ongoing for 283 days. Britain officially listed the entire Hamas group as a terrorist organization in the fall of 2021. Lammy described Hamas's actions regarding the kidnapping of Israeli citizens as a 'cruel approach.' He called for an immediate halt to hostilities during his meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu. Family members of Tamir Adar, an Israeli citizen killed in a surprise Hamas attack on October 7 last year in Kibbutz 'Nir Oz,' where Hamas members took his body for a possible exchange, met with Lammy. According to the Times of Israel, the Labour Party, prior to gaining power, had not mentioned the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war, using terms like 'humanitarian pause' instead. However, Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, during a phone call with Netanyahu to congratulate him on his election victory, stated that a ceasefire is an urgent need. On Sunday, the British Foreign Secretary also met with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, and Mohammad Mustafa, the Prime Minister of this government, calling for reforms within the authority. Supporting the two-state solution (the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel), he described Israeli settlements in the West Bank as 'illegal' and detrimental to the two-state solution. Lammy traveled to the region amid uncertainty regarding the fate of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, aimed at achieving a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal, as well as the future of Gaza. Concurrently with Lammy's arrival in the region, London announced an increase in aid to Gaza, which Lammy described as a starving and besieged area. Hamas members made differing statements regarding the fate of negotiations on Sunday. Some known Hamas figures stated that negotiations had stalled due to Israel's approach, while others emphasized Hamas's continued readiness for dialogue. Before the announcement of a 'halt to negotiations,' Israel targeted the al-Mawasi area in the outskirts of Khan Younis in an airstrike aimed at killing Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas's military wing. Both Israel and Hamas confirmed that the Saturday attack resulted in the death of Raef Salameh, a Hamas brigade commander in Khan Younis. Hamas denied the killing of Mohammed Deif, while the Israeli army stated that it continues to pursue Deif's fate.