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09 November 2017/ 20 Cheshvan 5778
@TheJewishWeekly 028
FORCED TO RESIGN
PRITI PATEL RESIGNS AFTER SECRET MEETINGS WITH ISRAELI OFFICIALS
BY LEAH MALKA
Priti Patel has resigned as International Development Secretary after failing to disclose she held meetings with Israeli politicians in recent months. Rumours were rife throughout Wednesday that Ms Patel would be sacked after being summoned back by Prime Minister Theresa May from a diplomatic trip to Africa. Arriving back from Nairobi, Kenya mid-afternoon, Ms Patel was whisked away from Heathrow Airport for a 30-minute showdown at Downing Street with the Prime Minister. In her resignation letter, Ms Patel said it had been a “privilege” to serve in the cabinet. Regarding the uproar over meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other political figures from Israel, she noted, “I am sorry that these have served as
a distraction from the work of the Department for International Development and of the Government as a whole. As you know from our discussions I accept that in meeting with organisations and politicians during a private holiday in Israel my actions fell below the high standards that are expected of a Secretary of State. Ms Patel added, “While my actions were meant with the best of intentions, my actions also fell below the standards of transparency and openness that I have promoted and advocated. “I offer a fulsome apology to you and to the Government for what has happened and offer my resignation.” Replying to Ms Patel’s letter, Theresa May, noted, “The UK and Israel are close allies, and it is right that we should work closely together. But that must be done formally, and through official channels.”
BALFOUR 100 - FULL REPORT P2-3
Lord Balfour, Theresa May, Benyamin Netanyahu and Lord Rothschild admire the declaration PHOTO CREDIT: BLAKE EZRA
The Prime Minister added, “When we met on Monday, I was glad to accept your apology and welcomed your clarification about your trip to Israel over the summer.
Now that further details have come to light, it is right that you have decided to resign and adhere to the high standards of transparency and openness that you have advocated.”
The past days have seen intense political activity at Number 10. Ms Patel was reprimanded in CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
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