Diplomatic Immunity
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission immunity to visit the UK since March 2024; and what the (a) names and (b) country of origin are of those officials.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
The purpose of special missions is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. All visitors granted a special mission status would have had bilateral engagements with UK ministers and officials during their visit, pertinent to the individual bilateral relationship.
Since 1 March 2024, special mission status has been granted to four delegations:
Benny Gantz, Chairman of The National Unity Party & War Cabinet Minister of the State of Israel and two delegates, March 2024;
Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and four delegates, November 2024;
Major General Oded Bassiuk, Head of the Operations Directorate J3 of the Israel Defense Forces and five delegates, January 2025;
Major General Tomer Bar, Head of the Israeli Air Force, July 2025.
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