Jerusalem Post/Israel NewsThe UK and Israeli foreign ministers discussed Gaza, Hamas disarmament, Iran and antisemitism, as Miliband pressed Sa’ar over West Bank violence.Follow us on GoogleBritish Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addresses the media during a joint press conference with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares at the Palacio de Viana, Madrid, Spain. July 29, 2026.(photo credit: LEON NEAL/POOL VIA REUTERS)ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFAUGUST 11, 2026 21:00British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband pressed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar over humanitarian aid to Gaza and violence in the West Bank during their first phone call on Tuesday, while the two also discussed Hamas's disarmament, Iran and antisemitism, according to a statement issued by Miliband.Miliband described the conversation with Sa'ar as a "frank and constructive first call," saying the British government remained committed to open dialogue and a two-state solution that would include "a safe and secure State of Israel and Palestinian State."The foreign secretary said he raised what he described as a "sharp escalation of settler violence and settlement expansion," as well as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip."I said Israel must crack down on violence in the West Bank, and must immediately end blockages on aid into Gaza," Miliband said.The discussion comes as the West Bank and the future of a two-state solution remain points of disagreement between Israel and Britain. Earlier this year, Sa'ar clashed with then-British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper at the UN Security Council after she criticized Israeli policies in the West Bank.Israeli Minister of foreign affairs Gideon Saar attends the lobby for Israel–United States relations at the Knesset, Israel's Parliament in Jerusalem, February 25, 2026. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)Hamas disarmament, Iran and antisemitismMiliband also called for Hamas to give up its weapons and for the IDF to withdraw, saying progress was needed on US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan.Additionally, the two discussed shared security challenges and agreed on the need to combat antisemitism worldwide and the "vital shared interest in ensuring that we never see a nuclear Iran."Follow us on Google