UK PM Johnson Backs Peace Plan in Call with Netanyahu

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated his support for a U.S. Middle East peace plan and a two-state solution in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Johnson’s spokesman said on Thursday.

Netanyahu later said that he and Johnson agreed to begin talks on establishing a free trade zone between Israel and the United Kingdom.

He also congratulated Johnson on the implementation of Brexit, and said they discussed regional matters, mainly the U.S. peace plan.

Johnson praised the plan shortly after it was published, even though U.K. foreign secretary Dominic Raab warned against moving ahead with “damaging” proposals to annex parts of Yehuda and Shomron.

U.K. Foreign Office minister Andrew Morrison made a polite rejection, saying last week that “we owe America and its president at least the time to consider this plan.”

But he also stressed that “this is not our plan” and that Britain was not fully backing it.

“Of course we welcome this plan,” Morrison told parliament. “This doesn’t mean we endorse its contents.”