Britain's Brown set to address Knesset on Monday

During the visit he is also scheduled to travel to Bethlehem for a visit with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad.

By HERB KEINON
Knesset 224.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Knesset 224.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will follow in the footsteps of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in ascending to the Knesset rostrum on Monday, addressing that body during his first visit to Israel as British prime minister. Brown is scheduled to arrive in Israel Saturday night for a two-day visit to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. During the visit he is also scheduled to travel to Bethlehem for a visit with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad. In Israel, Brown is scheduled to meet with President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu. Diplomatic officials said that the meetings with Brown, whom they described as a "friend," will focus on Iran and on the Palestinian and Syrian tracks. The British prime minister is also scheduled to discuss the situation in Lebanon. Israeli officials noted with satisfaction that Britain placed Hizbullah's military wing on its list of terrorist organizations about three weeks ago, the first European country to do so. The European Union has adamantly refused to place Hizbullah on its terrorist black list because of the organization's political role in Lebanon. The officials noted that Britain's decision to place Hizbullah on the black list had more to do with the organization's actions against British troops in Iraq than its activities in Lebanon against Israel. Nevertheless, the officials said the bottom line was that the British had now blacklisted Hizbullah's military wing. Regarding Iran, the officials said Britain saw eye-to-eye with Israel on the need for substantial sanctions against Teheran, and said that Britain was among the most supportive governments in Europe on this issue, along with France.