Violence in Israel and Palestine – July 2024 Update

I remain horrified at the intolerable scenes coming out of Gaza since October 2023. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Israel has imposed a total siege, has targeted schools and refugee camps and is forcing evacuations from hospitals. I have been consistently clear on my firm belief that we need an urgent ceasefire, delivery of lifesaving aid and the merciless killing to stop.

In the last Parliament, I resigned from my role as a Shadow Minister so I could vote in favour of a motion in support of a ceasefire in the House of Commons.

Since October, I have been calling for:

An immediate ceasefire
The release of all Israeli and Palestinian hostages
A ban on UK arms sales to Israel
The full restoration of UNRWA funding
A family reunification visa scheme for Palestinians
The UK Government to support the International Criminal Court
The urgent recognition of the independent stage of Palestine to support the implementation of a two-state solution.

Below are the specific links from my previous monthly updates:

Actions of the new Labour Government so far

The new Labour Government announced its policy of supporting an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza in the days following the election. Since then, I am pleased to see the leadership the Labour Government has taken with regards to the war in Gaza, marking a departure from the failed response of the Tories.

In addition to supporting an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the Labour Government has announced the restoration of and £21 million of funding for UNRWA, the vital aid agency operating in Gaza which had its funding suspended by the Conservative Government.

In the King’s Speech, the Labour Government set out its legislative agenda for the year ahead, in which it announced a commitment to playing its part in trying to secure long-term peace and security in the Middle East, through supporting a two-state solution with a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel. This was the first time Palestine has been mentioned in a King’s Speech. This shows the Labour Government is stepping up and leading the UK in supporting international law and alleviating the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

Last week, the Labour Government announced its decision to withdraw the objection to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli leaders which the Conservative Government had submitted. This paves the way for the UK and the rest of the international community to hold Prime Minister Netanyahu and his colleagues responsible for the egregious human rights abuses and violations of international law we have seen. We must continue support the independent work of the ICC in seeking justice in this horrendous conflict, and I am pleased the Labour Government has reiterated its commitment to international law and its support for the work of the ICC.

Now that Labour is in government, I will wholeheartedly continue to advocate for the Palestinian people, for the recognition of Palestinian statehood, respect for the institutions of international law and accountability to it.

Ban on arms sales to Israel

As I am sure you know, Amendment C to the King’s Speech calling on the Government to immediately suspend export licenses for arms transfers to Israel and to drop the challenge to the International Criminal court’s jurisdiction in Gaza, was not voted on in Parliament. However, pressing for a ceasefire, more humanitarian relief in Gaza and accountability to international law remain of crucial importance to me, so I will continue to pursue these aims through different avenues.

I can assure you that I have long-supported suspending arms sales to Israel and I will continue to do so. My contributions in the last Parliament on this issue can be viewed here, here and here.

I know that the Government have tasked officials with a comprehensive review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law in this conflict. I will follow developments on this closely and support in all the ways that I can.

In Parliament, I had the opportunity to ask the Foreign Secretary how the UK is ensuring that Israel ends its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territories. I have campaigned on this for a while now and so I was pleased to hear the Middle East Minister confirm that action is already being taken to sanction settler groups in the West Bank, with further tougher action to follow. This is an encouraging first step in response to last week’s advisory opinion by the ICJ.

Watch my question to the Foreign Secretary here or read the full text on Hansard here.

I will continue to be a strong voice for Palestinians. I will not stop championing this cause until we see a free and independent Palestine and I will work my Labour colleagues towards a peace and justice in the region.