The meeting between Foreign Minister Baiba Braže (“New Unity”) and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sara sparked tensions within the governing coalition. During the meeting, the Foreign Minister expressed Latvia’s “strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense,” while the “Progressives” called for “a clear condemnation of the human rights violations committed by the Israeli government against Palestinian civilians.”
A heated exchange of views developed between the two on the microblogging site “X.” The Progressives have stated: “Considering the meeting of Foreign Minister Baiba Braže and other state officials with the Israeli Foreign Minister, the Progressives party calls for a clear condemnation of the human rights violations committed by the Israeli government against Palestinian civilians”: “The Progressives emphasize that Latvia must advocate at the international level for an immediate end to the starvation of the Gaza population, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and compliance with international humanitarian and human rights norms. Israel must comply with the UN General Assembly resolution of September 18, 2024 – to end the military occupation of the Palestinian territories. Latvia’s duty as the next member of the UN Security Council is to draw attention to violations of international law not only in our region, but also in the Middle East.”
To this, Baiba Braže replied: “If the “Progressives” had something to say outside the official government position, there was an opportunity to meet – Israel requested a meeting with (Defense Minister) Andris Sprūdas (known as a foreign policy researcher), who unfortunately had no opportunity and not a minute of time.”
In turn, former Latvian Foreign and Defense Minister Artis Pabriks (“For the Development of Latvia”) wrote on “X”: “Obviously, the coalition party, which controls one of the ministries of power, implements a different foreign policy than the Latvian state and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Israel is and will remain a partner and friend of Latvia and such statements contradict Latvia’s strategic interests!”
On Tuesday, July 1, after meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister, who is on a trip to the Baltic States, Baiba Braže said: “Israel is an important cooperation partner for Latvia. Israel is a democratic country in the Middle East, with which Latvia has a full range of cooperation – economically and politically. Many Latvian nationals also live in Israel. This visit is important, and it is a testament to the close relations between our countries. I affirmed Latvia’s strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense after the October 7 attacks in Hama, while respecting international and humanitarian law. I also emphasized the need to immediately provide humanitarian aid – food, medical supplies and equipment – to civilians in the Gaza Strip.”
