“For those dying on the ground in Gaza, the UK must pull every lever it can.”
By Ben Folley
The Labour Government’s approach to the Israeli genocide in Gaza came under fresh scrutiny this week as Keir Starmer announced,
‘the UK will recognise the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a Two State Solution. And this includes allowing the UN to restart the supply of aid, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.’
Starmer’s announcement, conditional on terms the Israeli Government was not expected to be prepared to fill – and which they immediately condemned – effectively commits the UK to recognising the State of Palestine in September.
The decision is a significant shift. It happened following months of repeat demands by Labour and left MPs to act against Israel’s military action, in terms of strict measures to pressure Israel into a ceasefire in Gaza, but also through recognition of the State of Palestine.
That pressure escalated ahead of this week’s reorganised UN Conference on a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.
Ahead of it, over 200 Labour MPs signed a letter by International Development Select Committee chair Sarah Champion on Friday 25th July. Cabinet Members were also making clear to journalists their support for the demand.
Starmer felt pressured to act and having met Trump on Monday and held a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he announced his proposal.
It is a shift of policy that is to be welcomed. But the manner of its introduction has generated hostility – not only from Israel’s supporters, but also supporters of the Palestinians.
Starmer has made state recognition a bargaining chip – and a threat of punishment for Israel – to be deployed in six weeks time – if it does not cease its military action and allow the UN to restart aid. And he has done so because he was at risk of isolation from too many of his own MPs.
But the reality is, state recognition is not the most urgent issue for the Palestinians of Gaza, or in fact the Palestinians in the West Bank.
The threat of state recognition, and his conditions, have already been condemned by Netanyahu and Israel and will not be effective in securing the ceasefire required.
Those conditions set out do highlight the key issue of the situation on the ground in Gaza – where the stranglehold on aid delivery by Israel means the UN has now declared that famine conditions have taken hold, and the sytematic displacement and destruction of people and homes through military action is widely identified as amounting to genocide.
The numbers dying from starvation and malnutrition are mounting. The numbers killed in gunfire whilst queuing for food continues to grow. Palestinian deaths now exceed 60,000.
The UK is right to demand a ceasefire and restoration of aid delivery to the UN but it should be focused on what concrete action it can take which might affect that.
The demand for sanctions – an embargo on arms and on trade has been made repeatedly by MPs. It has been demanded in the Commons Chamber, by Private Members Bill, and by petition to the Foreign Office. Some have urged the government to consider support for a UN peacekeeper role in delivering aid.
There is a debate amongst Labour MPs that those on the left has been insufficiently supportive of the government’s announcement. But the day after Israel rejected Starmer’s announcement, its soldiers reportedly killed 91 Palestinians queuing for food.
But those MPs demanding colleagues show support for the recognition proposal must demand further action from their own government to stop the killing of starving civilians desperately looking for food, as the numbers of casualties continue to rise.
The government has argued that it cannot take action on arms or on trade alone, that it would be ineffective, that it has to act in concert with allies. But this week has shown the potential impact of a domino effect from a new announcement. First Macron, then Starmer, now Canada’s Mark Carney have all made their own announcements regarding bringing forward recognition of the state of Palestine.
The same could happen with sanctions. If the UK could announce new state level sanctions – on arms, or trade, or both – then it may have a limited material impact on Israel – but it may have political significance, if other states follow suit.
It should do what is right and take that action. For those dying on the ground in Gaza, the UK must pull every lever it can.
- Ben Folley writes for Labour Outlook and is on x/twitter and on bsky.
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