The British envoy for trade with the Zionist colony Ian Austin visited the city of Haifa on 27 May to “promote trade” between ‘Tel Aviv’ and London, despite the UK announcing several days earlier the suspension of free trade negotiations with the Zionist colony over the assault on Gaza.

Critics have referred to the visit as ‘mixed messaging’ following strong UK condemnation of Zionist colony’s genocidal assault on Gaza and the announcement of a suspension of free trade negotiations

“Greetings from Israel! I’m here to meet businesses and officials to promote trade with the UK. Trade with Israel provides many thousands of good jobs in the UK and brings people together in the great multi-cultural democracy that is Israel,” Austin said on social media on Tuesday.

The British Embassy in Israel made a post welcoming Austin, adding that he “visited the cutting-edge Customs Scanning Centre, Haifa Bayport, the Haifa–Nazareth Light Rail project, and the Technion – witnessing UK–Israel cooperation at every stop.”

In an opinion piece for Politics Home just four days earlier, Austin said the UK would be “foolish to sever our trade links with Israel.”

“Trade isn’t just exports and quotas, it’s values and relationships. That’s why I’ll be working hard to maintain and strengthen our partnership with Israel. Thousands of jobs in the UK depend on trade with Israel,” he added.

“I’ll be visiting Israel next week to show our support and solidarity and to drum up business for Britain. Even without the benefits a new trade agreement would bring to Britain, our message is that we’re open for business, so we’ll still be encouraging British businesses to export to Israel and Israeli businesses to invest in the UK to create jobs here.”

He also blamed Hamas for starting the war “when it raped, murdered, and kidnapped Israeli civilians.”

Austin’s visit to Israel has sparked criticism among commentators and observers.

“Why is the UK sending its extremist trade envoy to Israel, a man who is an apologist for war crimes, at a time when the UK has ended talks on a new free trade deal?” said Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding.

“Last week the UK government suspended free trade negotiations with Israel in protest at the war in Gaza. This week the UK’s trade envoy is touring Israel. Slightly mixed messaging,” said Sky News correspondent in West Asia Alistair Bunkall.

Last week, the UK announced it would suspend free trade negotiations with Israel over its current operation in Gaza, dubbed Gideon’s Chariots, which aims to displace the entire population and bring the strip under Israeli military control.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely was also summoned to the British Foreign Office, while London imposed sanctions on prominent individuals involved in Israel’s illegal settler movement in the occupied West Bank, as well as on construction companies active in the territory.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the existing trade deal with Israel is still in effect, but new discussions would not be able to take place with Tel Aviv’s “egregious policies” in Gaza and the West Bank.

London’s announcement coincided with a vote by EU foreign ministers to review the bloc’s cooperation agreement with Israel over its assault on Gaza.

The Cradle Media report