UK ambassador seeks deeper economic ties with Israel despite diplomatic tensions

British Ambassador to Israel Simon Walters is seeking to deepen economic, scientific and technological ties between Israel and the UK despite escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Walters spent several days last week visiting the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, a major British research and innovation hub, where he met with academics, entrepreneurs, investors and business executives and attended presentations and sessions focused on expanding international collaboration.

He was joined by representatives from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade, the UK-Israel Tech Hub, the Science and Technology Network and the British Council.

The delegation explored potential cooperation in areas including genomics, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, agricultural technology, artificial intelligence and clean technology.

The visit was part of a broader British government initiative through its International Growth Partnerships program, which seeks to connect international partners with British clusters of high-tech innovation and manufacturing to encourage collaboration, investment and economic growth.

“The UK and Israel are innovative nations with a shared commitment to scientific excellence, entrepreneurship and technological progress,” Walters said. “The Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor is home to some of the world's most exciting research institutions, businesses and investors, and there is enormous potential to deepen collaboration with Israel across science, technology, trade and investment.”

“Despite the political differences, this visit demonstrated the strength of our partnership in these fields, and the opportunities that exist to bring together British and Israeli expertise to address global challenges, drive economic growth and support innovation that improves lives,” he concluded.

Cambridge hosted several discussions in which Israeli and British experts and practitioners in genomics and biodata explored opportunities for collaboration. Walters also met with representatives of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which has a major headquarters in Cambridge, as well as Israeli pharmaceutical companies, to explore potential cooperation in life sciences, health innovation and pharmaceutical research.

Israel’s generic pharmaceutical giant Teva is already a major supplier of medications to the British healthcare system and employs more than 1,000 people at several facilities across the UK.

Walters also explored opportunities for British-Israeli cooperation in agricultural technology and sustainable food production and distribution.

The UK’s agricultural sector suffered through one of the hottest and driest growing seasons ever recorded this past year, with warnings about potential food shortages and the need for rationing as early as this coming winter. During his visit, Walters said Israeli farmers could potentially help their British counterparts develop strategies for growing crops in arid conditions.

The delegation also met with representatives from Israeli company Modcon Systems Ltd, which has a facility in Cambridge as part of its UK operations.

Founded in 1972 by Oded Shmueli, Modcon specializes in supplying analytical equipment to the process industry and integrating it into advanced process control systems.

According to the company’s website, Shmueli “foresaw the potential of supplying sophisticated and up-to-date analytical equipment to the process industry, and integrating it into advanced process control systems.”

The company’s team includes engineers and experts in chemistry, physics, instrumentation, process control and electronics. Modcon says its specialists oversee projects from planning and procurement through testing, installation and training.

Modcon already employs dozens of people in the UK and plans to expand its operations in the years ahead.

Walters also met with senior figures at the University of Cambridge medical school to discuss expanding research and scientific exchanges with Israeli medical schools, research labs and universities.