Recent statements from the UK government and its representatives have made one thing abundantly clear: the Government fully understands both the dire situation on the ground in Palestine and the extent to which Israeli actions are violating international law. Sadly, what remains absent is any willingness to translate that recognition into meaningful action. There is an opportunity for our MPs, when they return from recess next week, to make a difference.
Speaking at the UN Security Council this week, the UK’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Ambassador James Kariuki, described in no uncertain terms the appalling suffering of the people in Gaza as a result of the Israeli blockade. He referred to children “living amid sewage, parasites, and disease”, “images of newborn babies with rat bites on their faces” and UN reports of “widespread infestations now affecting almost 1.5 million people.” The statement also condemned the taunting of flotilla activists in a recent video posted by Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and called for an end to escalating settlement expansion and the forced displacement of Palestinians in the unlawfully occupied West Bank.
A similarly stark tone was adopted in a joint statement issued this week by the UK and allies on Israel’s rapidly advancing E1 settlement project, which would sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, making the territorial continuity necessary for a future Palestinian state virtually impossible. The statement could hardly have been clearer on the illegality of the project. “The E1 settlement development would divide the West Bank in two and mark a serious breach of international law,” it warned, adding that businesses “should not bid for construction tenders for E1 or other settlement developments” and should be aware of the “legal and reputational consequences” of participating.
Unfortunately, this strong rhetoric which follows nearly two years of handwringing by Labour Ministers, does not appear to have been matched by any consequential action. Despite its repeated expressions of concern, the UK continues to permit trade with Israel’s illegal settlements, continues to provide military assistance and arms exports to Israel, and remains unwilling to take steps to force a change in Israeli policy.
The warning to businesses over E1 ultimately amounts to little more than handwringing unless now backed by actual consequences for companies that proceed regardless. What is required is a serious package of measures proportionate to the gravity of the situation. That should include sanctions, including fines, for any UK firms that bid for tenders relating to settlement construction in the E1 area or elsewhere in Palestine, as called for by Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Calum Miller in his recent letter to the Foreign Secretary. As Calum’s letter notes, the government response should also include implementing the Liberal Democrats’ longstanding policy of banning all trade in goods and services with Israel’s settlements.
It is encouraging to see the Liberal Democrats leading on this issue, not only because of the deteriorating situation on the ground, but because there is now a genuine political opening to push the Government to go further.
Given the strength of feeling among Labour members over Palestine, this issue is likely to become significant in any future leadership contest. There seems to be a good chance that any future Prime Minister will be willing to take bolder action, given past comments by frontrunners Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham suggesting discomfort with the Government’s current position. Pressure is also growing within the parliamentary party itself, with unease among many Labour backbenchers, several of whom face sustained pressure from constituents and local party members on Palestine.
In that context, this feels like one of those rare moments where a concerted Liberal Democrat push could realistically force movement from a government that has so far been reluctant to act. Given the terminal threat to the two-state solution posed by the E1 settlement project, it makes sense strategically to maintain focus on the issue of settlement expansion and the urgent need for a ban on settlement trade and sanctions for businesses that bid for contracts relating to settlement construction.
Making this a priority is not only the right thing to do morally but also politically, as it presents an opportunity for the Liberal Democrats to show disaffected soft-left voters that the Greens are not the only option for those seeking more principled leadership on the world stage. The recent local election results demonstrated that we need to do more to amplify our messaging on Palestine if we are to avoid being leapfrogged by the Greens in urban areas, university towns, communities with large Muslim populations, and other places where Palestine is an issue of deep concern to voters.
As a party that has consistently championed the two-state solution, we must seize this opportunity to drive meaningful change and make every possible effort to prevent the prospect of a future Palestinian state from quietly slipping away.
* John Kelly is the Secretary of Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine and an active member in Warwickshire.
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15 Comments
John – spot on. Congratulations on a well-thought through piece. I hope the party leadership picks up this ball and runs with it.
You write, “Given the terminal threat to the two-state solution posed by the E1 settlement project, it makes sense strategically to maintain focus on the issue of settlement expansion…”
Yes, but the focus must include a push for settlement dismantlement and placing the settlements under Palestinian jurisdiction. For far too long (going back to the days of the Mandate) the international community has allowed Israel (and before that the Yishuv) to get away with creating ‘facts on the ground’. Britain now recognises Palestine; that includes its territorial integrity along the lines of 4 June 1967. Just as Lithuania emerged from its years of occupation (including ‘facts on the ground’) by the USSR with its territorial integfrity intact, so too must Palestine be allowed to emerge from Israel’s unlawful occupation.
PSC has now delivered a 74 pages legal advice written by top legal experts to the government on obligations of divestment.
Anyone on pensions committee should read it. The settlement project in its illegal status is a risk to our pension investments. Companies who do business with and in the illegal settlements could face crippling law suits and therefore our pension investments in those companies could amount to zero.
Pension pooling doesn’t absolve the direction that a council sets. That is clear. The pool needs to respect the pension committee.
Our government’s insistence on treating Israel as a “normal” western country could be putting £billions of our public sector pensions at risk.
Worcestershire has over 200 organisation employees in their pension. I am reading as fast and as hard as I can but the seriousness of the situation is yet to be fully understood by most councillors and staff.
As for two states, I think it’s wishful thinking. It’s already one state with different rules for different religions. That’s what I think, I hope I am proven wrong one day.
Well said. Not a time for party timidity.
Very well said. Labour Ministers’ repeated (and little heard) statements on Gaza, the West Bank and Israel’s excesses amount to nothing when not backed up by sanctions and specific steps towards solutions. And the silence of most Lib Dem MPs is extraordinary. Why are we letting the Greens lead on this – handing them our members and votes – when this is obviously such a liberal cause?
Not for the first time, the Lib Dem Friends of Palestine are way out in front of the defeatist mood in parliament over what can be done about Israel’s latest atrocities. Two successive governments have let Benjamin Netanyahu push the boundaries of human decency to limits none would have thought possible before the retaliation for October 2023 began.
Netanyahu can now be seen hardly able to keep the smile off his face as he tells his Israeli admirers that occupation of 100% of Gaza would be a bit premature – choosing to go for 70% in the short term, and then suggesting he could take it from there.
The war against Gaza has ended, if we use Netanyahu’s definition of a ceasefire (more than a 1,000 people have been killed since the so-called ‘ceasefire’ began) and the world’s attention has moved elsewhere, but as John Kelly reminds us, the suffering in Gaza continues, and in some respects it’s getting worse. The architects of Israel’s annexation programme are well aware of what they are doing to the survivors of their two year bombing campaign; they want the Palestinians out, by whatever means they think necessary.
Israel is not an ally of Great Britain and does not deserve our support. On the contrary, the values it has demonstrated since October 2023 have aroused condemnation and increasingly, disgust among British voters. Many MPs in the House of Commons know it. It’s time for them to tell whoever occupies 10 Downing Street they’ve had enough of British complicity.
John, many thanks for this. There have been so many sad messages from charities about the situation in Gaza, which seems to have been largely forgotten by media and likewise the West Bank.
In addition we need to draw attention to Lebanon as Israeli government are intent on doing in South Lebanon what they have done in Gaza. We should not allow the rise in anti-Semitism to subdue criticism of the Israeli government; indeed the opposite is needed while always remembering to condemn Hezbollah too.
If anyone doubts the seriousness of what John Kelly is discussing, let’s call to mind Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term ‘genocide’ in his “Axis Rule in Occupied Europe” in 1944, which he described as ‘a new conception for the destruction of nations.’
‘It does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation,’ he continued, but rather, ‘a co-ordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives… the disintegration of political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religious and economic existence… and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity and even the lives of individuals belonging to such groups.’
Just look at the continuing destruction of habitat and people in Gaza, the state-assisted pogroms, colonisation and corralling in the West Bank, and the removal of Arabic as an official language and of equal citizenship inside Israel itself. Does anyone seriously suggest this falls short of what Lemkin was referring to? Come on, LibDems, we must make a far greater racket at the disgraceful inertia and hand-wringing of our timorous government.
” . . . given past comments by frontrunners Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham suggesting discomfort with the Government’s current position.”
“Discomfort!” Is that all? “Outrage” would be more appropriate, for the Labour Government, leadership contenders and entire British political class, including us. If humanity survives long enough for historians to write about his period, then our complacency at the atrocities committed by the Israeli government will rank alongside the 18th/19th centenaries’ promotion of slavery as a source of bewilderment and disgust. Our mealy-mouthed tolerance shames us all. Our Liberal Democrat leadership should follow John Kelly’s line vigorously.
A very good article. It’s now very long overdue for this Government and the Liberal Democrats to speak out, loudly, against these atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity and championed international law. Millions of decent people in the UK and globally are demanding this.
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And let’s remember Syria. Israel is attempting a land grab across the demarcation lines of 1974, and there are even extremists who want to settle there on the grounds it is the Biblical land of Bashan!
Just as the Trump regime told us that the death of Alex Pretti was an act of ‘self defence’ by ICE agents I expect supporters of Israel will tell us that, “Not to believe our eyes and that what we are seeing in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank is not what is actually happening.
If just one western nation acts decisively, politically and financially, against Israel other nations will follow; the UK should be that nation..
Thanks for this .
Action against Israel is long overdue.
Economic is best but all other options, especially through international Courts, vital too.
An excellent article, but the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza should be our first concern.
Just want to add my voice in assent to these calls for action. I hope Ed or Calum will raise the continuing plight of Gaza and the need for measures to stop any British firms supporting the illegal Settlement programme in PMQs, and certainly demand further action from the Government, whether under present or future Prime Ministers.
It is good to hear a supporter of Palestine still supporting the two state solution. They are drowned out on social media and at demos by ‘river to the sea’ people and it is easy to think that’s representative. Perhaps there is still hope for peace between Israel and Palestine after all.