On 8 November 2017, British Prime Minister Theresa May published her letter to Priti Patel, who had just resigned as British Secretary of State for International Development. Mrs May wrote that Britain and Israel are "close allies" and that the two countries' cooperation "must be done formally, and through official channels".

During the Suez war in 1956 there was no admitted cooperation between Britain and Israel. During the Six Day War in 1967, Britain officially declared neutrality. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the European Economic Community, of which Britain was a member, also declared neutrality.

There has never been an officially published treaty of alliance between Britain and Israel, let alone "close alliance". Indeed Britain does not formally recognise Israeli sovereignty over any part of Israel's claimed capital city, Jerusalem.

Since there is a "close alliance" today, we call on the British Prime Minister to publish the treaty or other documents that established the alliance, in accordance with her stated commitment that cooperation "must be done formally".