Latest news with #LabourFriendsofIsrael
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
UK will recognise Palestinian state in September unless Israel ends ‘appalling situation' in Gaza, Starmer vows
Keir Starmer and his senior ministers have agreed to recognise to recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel ends its starvation tactics in Gaza. The prime minister held an emergency virtual cabinet meeting where he laid out his plan for peace agreed over the weekend with French President Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz. In an ultimatum to Benjamin Netanyahu's government, he used the threat of recognising Palestine in September to try to force Israel to change tactics. A readout from the cabinet meeting stated: 'The Prime Minister said it had been this Government's longstanding position that recognition of a Palestinian state was an inalienable right of the Palestinian people and that we would recognise a Palestinian state as part of a process to peace and a two state solution. 'He said that because of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospect of a peace process towards a two state solution, now was the right time to move this position forward. 'He said that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September, before UNGA, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two state solution.' Pressure had been mounting on Sir Keir to recognise Palestine as a state, but the decision to put the ball in the Israeli government's court was a compromise to satisfy two competing factions in his cabinet. Senior Cabinet members who support plans to recognise a Palestinian state include deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, energy secretary Ed Miliband and foreign secretary David Lammy. Mr Lammy is at a conference in New York discussing recognising Palestine as a state where he is due to speak. But on the other side chancellor Rachel Reeves, tech secretary Peter Kyle, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, who have been officers of Labour Friends of Israel (LFI), were worried recognition would 'reward Hamas'. Politically Sir Keir had been helped by Donald Trump when they met in Scotland on Monday, where the US president said he did not object to the prime minister taking a position on state recognition. This undermined the US State Department's opposition to the move, expressed angrily by secretary of state Marco Rubio last week, when President Macron announced France would recognise a Palestinian state. At home Sir Keir has been threatened by the creation of Jeremy Corbyn's new party which includes the former Gaza independents who unseated senior Labour MPs at the last election and came close to defeating Ms Mahmood and health secretary Wes Streeting. Added to that more than 250 MPs from nine different parties have called for Palestine to be recognised as a state. This included more than 90 of the new Labour MPs elected last year.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
UK should recognise state of Palestine while there is still a state to recognise, MPs tell Starmer
The UK should recognise the state of Palestine while there is still a Palestine left, a powerful Commons committee has told Keir Starmer. The foreign affairs select committee said the UK's actions over the ongoing conflict and "in the years preceding, have often been too little, too late," as they called for further sanctions "against settlers". It comes as Keir Starmer has issued his strongest condemnation yet of Israel's starvation of Gaza and hinted he is edging closer to recognising a Palestinian state, In a new report the committee said Israel must open all crossing points to food, medical, materials for shelter and other aid to Gaza. It also calls on the UK to act 'more boldly and bravely', including sanctions on all businesses operating in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The report also warns that, despite being an ally, Israel is not listening to the UK and says pressure should be put on the US to persuade Tel Aviv. However, the recommendation of recognising a Palestinian state pushed through by the committee's majority of Labour majority threatens to reopen deep divisions in the party again. Labour Friends of Israel, which has powerful supporters in the cabinet including chancellor Rachel Reeves and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, has warned that recognising Palestine now is the wrong thing to do. But Labour's main financial backers the trade unions have repeated their demands for immediate recognition of a Palestinian state. Dame Emily Thornberry, a long term critic of Israel and the Labour chair of the Commons' foreign affairs committee, said immediately recognising the state of Palestine would signal the UK's desire to work urgently towards a two-state solution. On Thursday, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said Labour was "deeply committed" to recognising a Palestinian state, a pledge in the party's last general election manifesto, but he said such a move would have to be meaningful and come as part of a "genuine move towards a two-state solution and a long-term peace settlement" with Israel. Dame Emily also said Labour "must not shrug our shoulders in despair and say that there is nothing we can do". She called on ministers to "immediately' extend sanctions against settlers and for the UK to play a part in evidence collection 'which will be vital to the inevitable legal reckoning when this conflict finally comes to an end". She said that the UK "must be realistic about our role" and "our greatest power is in our alliances". "Whether that is persuading the US to have an influence on Israel to come to a ceasefire, or with nations in the region whose support will be vital to a long-term two-state solution." Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan is among the senior Labour figures who have recently called for Palestine to be recognised. MPs on the committee were divided over the call, but a majority backed it. In a sign that divisions on the issue continue to plague te Labour Party, Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), repeated the demands from the party's biggest financial backers for the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state. He said: ''Words must be matched with action. That's why we are calling for the UK and its international partners to use every diplomatic, political, and economic tool available to help deliver an immediate and permanent ceasefire, end the illegal occupation and start a meaningful political peace process that respects the right to self-determination. 'This must include formal recognition of the State of Palestine. Not in a year's time or two years' time - but now.' However, Labour Friends of Israel chair Jon Pearce MP warned: "Recognition is a card that can only be played once. It must be done when it will have maximum impact. 'As we saw when Ireland, Spain and Norway recognised a Palestinian state outside of any process, recognition changes nothing on the ground but does risk tearing up the Oslo Accords without a plan for security and sovereignty to replace it, whilst at the same time being seen as a reward for terrorism, inadvertently emboldening Hamas in the ceasefire negotiations."
The National
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Labour politicians fail to declare all-expenses-paid trip to Israel
Five MPs, alongside Labour peer Luciana Berger, were taken on an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel and Palestine in May by the lobbying group Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) where they posed for a photo with Israeli president Isaac Herzog, who has backed the genocide of Palestinians. Speaking at a press conference 10 days after the Hamas attack of October 7, Herzog said: 'It is an entire nation out there that is responsible.' The group of politicians also met Israeli deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel, leader of the opposition Yair Lapid and IDF reserve major general Yair Golan, according to Declassified UK. READ MORE: 'Humanitarian city' will be concentration camp, says ex-Israel prime minister Two of the MPs who took part – Jon Pearce and Mark Sewards – have registered the trip and put its value at £2600. Peter Prinsley, Kevin McKenna and Cat Eccles have all failed to do so. This week, an LFI parliamentary delegation visited Israel & Palestine as we marked 600 days since 7 Oct 2023. We called for a renewed ceasefire & hostage deal, unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gazans, an end to Hamas rule, and progress towards a two-state solution and regional… — Labour Friends of Israel (@_LFI) May 30, 2025 In a statement following the visit, Pearce, chair of the LFI, said: 'It's more important than ever for British Members of Parliament to visit Israel and Palestine to show solidarity and hear directly from people on the ground.' He added: 'We left the region more convinced than ever of the need to secure the release [of] the remaining 58 hostages, massively increase humanitarian aid into Gaza, and see Hamas relinquish control of Gaza.' READ MORE: Six children among 10 people killed by Israel at water collection point It comes as pressure mounts on Israel over brutal war crimes in Palestine, as it emerged this weekend that Israeli soldiers killed six children who were collecting water at a humanitarian aid point. Elsewhere, fury is mounting – including within Israel itself – over plans to force Palestinians into a concentration camp on the ruins of the city of Rafah. Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert told The Guardian: 'If they [Palestinians] will be deported into the new 'humanitarian city', then you can say that this is part of an ethnic cleansing.' In a post on social media, the LFI set out how it visited Jerusalem, Ramallah and Tel Aviv and Kibbutz Kfar Aza in the south of the country as well as the site of the massacre at the Nova music festival. The Kibbutz was among the places which came under attack from Hamas on October 7.
Leader Live
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Lammy to meet Iranian foreign minister as Trump steps back from military action
The Foreign Secretary is set to meet Abbas Araghchi alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before US President Donald Trump decides on whether to take military action against Tehran. In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, Mr Trump said there was still 'a substantial chance of negotiations' and said he would make a decision on deploying US forces 'within the next two weeks'. Mr Trump had previously said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Friday's meeting with the so-called E3 countries follows Mr Lammy's visit to Washington, where he met US secretary of state Marco Rubio in the White House on Thursday evening to discuss 'how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict'. The Foreign Secretary said: 'The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.' The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. Meeting with @SecRubio and @SteveWitkoff in the White House today, we discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two… — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 19, 2025 Adding that a 'window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution', Mr Lammy said: 'Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one.' Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had urged the US to step back from military action, saying there was a 'real risk of escalation'. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any military action, although there has been speculation that US involvement could require using the British-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Meanwhile, two Labour backbenchers pushed for a 'fresh, tough approach' to Tehran. Jon Pearce and Mike Tapp, chairman and vice-chairman respectively of Labour Friends of Israel, said the UK urgently needed 'a multifaceted diplomatic, economic and national security plan to guard against the Iranian threat and force the regime to change course'. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the pair called for tighter sanctions on Iran, the proscription of the country's Revolutionary Guard Corps and a 'comprehensive diplomatic solution' that 'eliminates once and for all' Iran's nuclear threat.
Rhyl Journal
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Lammy to meet Iranian foreign minister as Trump steps back from military action
The Foreign Secretary is set to meet Abbas Araghchi alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before US President Donald Trump decides on whether to take military action against Tehran. In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, Mr Trump said there was still 'a substantial chance of negotiations' and said he would make a decision on deploying US forces 'within the next two weeks'. Mr Trump had previously said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Friday's meeting with the so-called E3 countries follows Mr Lammy's visit to Washington, where he met US secretary of state Marco Rubio in the White House on Thursday evening to discuss 'how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict'. The Foreign Secretary said: 'The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.' The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. Meeting with @SecRubio and @SteveWitkoff in the White House today, we discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two… — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 19, 2025 Adding that a 'window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution', Mr Lammy said: 'Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one.' Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had urged the US to step back from military action, saying there was a 'real risk of escalation'. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any military action, although there has been speculation that US involvement could require using the British-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Meanwhile, two Labour backbenchers pushed for a 'fresh, tough approach' to Tehran. Jon Pearce and Mike Tapp, chairman and vice-chairman respectively of Labour Friends of Israel, said the UK urgently needed 'a multifaceted diplomatic, economic and national security plan to guard against the Iranian threat and force the regime to change course'. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the pair called for tighter sanctions on Iran, the proscription of the country's Revolutionary Guard Corps and a 'comprehensive diplomatic solution' that 'eliminates once and for all' Iran's nuclear threat.
