Tag: Gaza

Palestine ‘Death, destruction and dehumanisation on an apalling scale’: UK government to act at last

Foreign Secretary’s oral statement to the House of Commons on Israel-Palestine

 Madame Deputy Speaker, with permission, I would like to make a statement on Israel and Palestine:

I do so as a proud British Jew, someone with the deepest gratitude to the State of Israel for giving a home to my grandmother after she lost her husband, my grandfather, and 60 other family members at the hands of the Nazis.

I remember visiting her in the 1970s in Tel Aviv and seeing the life and the sanctuary Israel had provided. Indeed, some of my most joyful childhood memories were picking oranges as a kid on the kibbutz where my cousins lived.

Madame Deputy Speaker, my personal story and that of thousands of British Jews is one of the many reasons why I say to anyone here or around the world who questions Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people: you are wrong and we will call you out whenever you engage in this attempt at the erasure of Israel.

Madame Deputy Speaker, I know what the trauma of Hamas’s terrorist atrocity of October 7th meant and still means to people across Israel and to Jews across the world. It was a murderous act by a murderous terrorist organisation designed to massacre and instil fear across a whole population.

October 7th makes plain the grave threats that Israel faces. And it has every right to defend itself.  We should not only condemn those threats but act against those who carry them out.

Iran continues to threaten Israel and Jews across the world.

We have already designated Iran’s IRGC and we will do more today on Iran’s proxy groups. So today I can also announce we are sanctioning Lebanese Hezbollah’s financing arm, Al-Qard Al-Hassan.

Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. So we are also acting this week to report Iran to the UN Security Council for its nuclear violations, alongside our allies. And I can announce today that we are also reimposing major economic sanctions on Iran in line with the European Union and the United States.

Madame Deputy Speaker, tackling these threats is just one of the important, shared national security interests we have with Israel, on which we will continue to co-operate.

I know too that so many members of the Jewish community now live in fear in the face of rising antisemitism, including here in the UK.

Last week we commemorated the anniversary of the Heaton Park attack—Jews murdered at their place of worship simply for their religion.

An outrage that was followed by antisemitic attacks in Golders Green, including on the Hatzola ambulances.

And the everyday life of Jews in Britain is deeply affected by the climate that such hate creates.

When I went to school in the 1980s, I did so without fear.

Today we need to face the truth: that is not the case for thousands of Jewish children across the UK, children who have to go to school with security guards outside their school.

Mr Speaker, no child should have to go to school facing this. And no teacher should face antisemitism either.

Whether it happens in our schools, universities or workplaces or online or on our streets, antisemitism is a scourge and an evil.

We are rightly putting in place an additional investment of £250 million for community security. But we all have a responsibility to do more.

As part of this, I will in October host representatives of the J7, the countries with the largest Jewish populations from across the world.

We will meet in the UK to discuss the different ways we can work across borders to tackle antisemitism, including tackling online hate.

So Madame Deputy Speaker, I am proud of my Jewishness and unwavering in my support for the State of Israel.

And there is absolutely no contradiction between this and my support for the State of Palestine. Indeed quite the opposite.

The two state solution is based on an explicit belief that the only route to security for both peoples is to live side by side in peaceful co-existence with freedom, security and self-determination.

Securing the two-state solution in its fullest form is the North Star of this government’s policy, and indeed of successive British governments over decades.

And it is precisely this belief in the rights and freedoms of the Israeli and Palestinian people that leads many, including me, to a deep sense of shame about what has unfolded in Palestine under the eyes of the international community.

In Gaza, the most unimaginable trauma and suffering in the last three years – death, destruction and dehumanisation on an appalling scale.

A stain on the conscience of the world and of this country too.

And in the West Bank, the clear attempt to – in the words of Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich – and I quote – “bury the idea of a Palestinian State”.

So Madame Deputy Speaker, there is a deeply painful contrast between our professed commitment to a two state solution, and the reality on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank.

I pay tribute to my predecessors, the current Health Secretary and the Right Honourable Member for Tottenham, for their tireless efforts on this issue as well as my Right Honourable Friend the Member for Lincoln.

We should always be proud that it was a Labour government that took the historic step of recognising the State of Palestine. 

But the Prime Minister is right to say that the Labour government has not done enough in the face of what is happening.

So today marks the beginning of a new approach.

An approach that not only calls out injustice and suffering but acts.

And in taking this stance, I make a very clear distinction – which is crucial for all of us in this debate:

Our argument is not with the people of Israel, with whom the UK has unshakeable bonds. Our argument is with the conduct of its government.

And I also want to say emphatically to people in Britain and across the world:

Holding British Jews responsible for the actions of the Israeli Government is antisemitism, plain and simple.

What we seek today is to salvage the only course for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians – the two state solution.

Let me start with the situation in the West Bank.

Madame Deputy Speaker, at the time of the Oslo peace accords in 1993, around 270,000 settlers lived in the occupied Palestinian territories. Today it is some 770,000.

More settlements have been approved under the four years of this Israeli government than in the previous twenty years. 

Let us spell out what this has meant for Palestinian communities.

Houses bulldozed. Roads and public infrastructure destroyed. Families displaced from their homes.

Community by community.

Family by family.

Person by person.

Madame Deputy Speaker, sixty-five Palestinian communities completely expelled since 2023 – a total of over 4,000 Palestinians evicted from their homes due to settler violence and state actions.

And in August, the crossing of a long-standing red line: the issuing of E1 tenders for over 1,200 homes.

I visited a community in the area covered by E1 in 2014. The Bedouin communities I met in Khan Al Ahmar had lived on that land for generations.

E1 proposals would evict them and place settlements directly between East Jerusalem and the West Bank cutting through the heart of Palestine.

Let’s be clear what this means: the creation of a set of facts on the ground to make the two state solution unviable.

And on top of official state policy, settler terrorism is rampant.

The UN reports an average of six violent settler attacks against Palestinians per day this year, the highest on record.

Take one example

In Al Mughayir, twenty miles north of Jerusalem, settlers have encircled the village and mounted a campaign of intimidation, largely under the protection of the Israeli military.

Families in the village are increasingly cut off from accessing their land, squeezed into ever smaller areas and have olive trees uprooted and livestock stolen.

In the same community, just last week, two teenagers were shot when settlers entered the village under police and military escort. Both died before reaching hospital. Madame Deputy Speaker five teenagers have now been killed from their school this year.

Ehud Olmert, the former Israeli Prime Minister, has described what is happening as – I quote – “a violent and criminal effort to ethnically cleanse territories in the West Bank’.

The former Minister of Health and retired Brigadier General from the IDF, Ephraim Sneh has said – and I quote again – “this is ethnic cleansing to put it simply”.

Ethnic cleansing is defined by the UN as ‘a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.’

The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank – perpetrated by settler terrorists.

And all too often the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians.

Now Madame Deputy Speaker, I recognise the gravity of saying this but the truth is, it is the least the people who face such suffering deserve. And it should be the prelude to justice.

Now for a long time, the British government has rightly said settlements are illegal.

But we have remained silent on the question of the legality of the occupation as a whole, which in 2024 the International Court of Justice concluded was unlawful.

Today I announce that the official view of the British Government is that the occupation is unlawful.

Because of Israel’s entrenchment of its control, its intention to extend permanent sovereignty, and its expansionist agenda via illegal settlements.

Madame Deputy Speaker, our position is not just an overdue statement of reality.

The government believes the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationships we choose to have with the occupied territories.

I do not believe that the British people want us supporting the occupation by accepting products from settlements in our shops and supermarkets.

So I can announce today that we will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories.

To do so, we will introduce a new comprehensive sanctions regime working with my Right Honourable Friend the Business Secretary, with appropriate religious exemptions.

And as part of this regime, we will go further.

We will take action against specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion.

So to those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements, let me say this, you will face the full force of UK sanctions.

Settlements are illegal. They should not be promoted in our country.

Earlier this year, shamefully, just a few miles from here, we saw an expo advertising illegal settlement land. 

We must and we will ensure this never happens again, so we will ban the advertising in the UK of illegal settlements.

The sanctions regime will target illegal settlements and settlement expansion, not Israel.

We will continue to support important and valued trade with green line Israel precisely because we support the two state solution, including security and prosperity for Israel.

For this reason, I wholeheartedly oppose the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions or BDS campaign.

The legislation I have announced today will be in place within 6 to 9 months and we will also take more immediate steps.

Today we are sanctioning a further set of extremist settlers who have supported or incited acts of violence against Palestinian communities.

And I can also announce that we are extending the existing global human rights regime such that it will enable swifter action to deter settlement expansion, including crucially seeking to present the development of E1.

I also want to address the question of arms sales. We have already suspended over 30 arms licences used by the IDF in Gaza. That suspension remains fully in place.

We will now also refuse all licence applications for arms and other exports that materially contribute to the occupation, in effect a double lock against arms sales. This means the ban on such exports will now remain as long as the occupation persists. 

To advance the two state solution, we also need viable and effective Palestinian governance.

So I urge the Palestinian Authority to accelerate reform and I urge Israel to lift its withholding of revenues that is financially crippling the provision of essential services in the West Bank.

The set of measures I have announced represents a clear message to the government of Israel, to the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, and to the world that we will not acquiesce in the destruction of the two state solution.

I turn now to Gaza.

The horror of October 7th appalled the world and had terrible echoes of the centuries of persecution of the Jewish people.

Men, women, children and babies killed, mutilated, and tortured by Hamas terrorists. People murdered whilst seeking to protect their families. Young people massacred at a music festival. People abducted from their homes.

As the 20 point peace plan for Gaza sets out, this is one of many reasons Hamas can play no role in the future governance of Gaza, it must decommission its weapons and must dismantle its terrorist infrastructure.

Israel has the right not to live in fear of vile terrorism, and the Israeli State has the right to protect its people and defend its territory.

But Madame Deputy Speaker that cannot justify what has happened in Gaza.

Over 70,000 people have been killed, at least 20,000 of them children. 20,000 children.

The vast majority of the population is now displaced – nearly two million people – who are now penned into just one third of the territory.

Life-saving humanitarian aid and access has been routinely blocked.

Hospitals and clinics have been destroyed.

Over 60% of homes are in ruins.

Mr Speaker, international humanitarian law imposes clear rules for states fighting wars – including to ensure access to food and medical supplies, to avoid mass displacement of civilians, and to avoid the targeting of civilians.

Serious and intentional violations of this law, if proven, amount to war crimes.

What has occurred, including the actions of the IDF, have been examined in depth by a number of organisations, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry.

The conclusions of these reports represent increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed.

And we support legal processes to determine this.

On the question of genocide, the UK has always supported full, robust and fair judicial processes to consider allegations, with final determinations made by competent courts before the British government reaches a conclusion.

This has been the case for all of the genocides since the 1948 Genocide Convention: Rwanda, Srebrenica, Cambodia, and acts against the Yazidi people.

This will remain our policy. It is right that this issue has been brought before the ICJ and I want to make it clear that we support the Court in coming to its determination.

So accountability for what has happened in Gaza matters.

But even more urgent is action to address the ongoing crisis. 

Because today in Gaza, the death and suffering continue.

Nearly a year ago, Madame Deputy Speaker, a ceasefire was declared. Yet over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since.

And the people of Gaza are experiencing a totally avoidable humanitarian catastrophe, I am afraid, driven by decisions of the Israeli government.

Last week I talked to courageous doctors and humanitarian aid workers who have served in Gaza. It was a heartbreaking conversation.

They recounted:

Children dying waiting for medical treatment.

People forced to live next to open sewage and without shelter.

And food insecurity rampant.

I’m sure the whole House agrees, this is unconscionable.

So I pledge we will continue to do everything we can to provide all the humanitarian support possible to help the people of Gaza.

UK-supported hospitals in Gaza will enable around 800,000 medical consultations this year and essential health services for patients. 

UK expertise will deliver care to over a thousand child amputees.

And we recently welcomed another wave of students from Gaza coming to study in Britain and we will welcome more.

But in truth, unless Israel changes course, the situation will remain dire.

So we are taking further steps – both ourselves and with others. 

Our extension of the global human rights sanctions regime will enable us to target those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law, whether in Gaza or anywhere else in the world.

And we will at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month shine the clearest and harshest spotlight on what is happening and what must change.

And with Jordan, we will convene countries across the world to lead a call for action on health and humanitarian access.

We will also lend the UK’s voice to the growing global alliance of countries – led by Arab partners in the region – calling for the full implementation of the US-led 20 point plan, the rejection of extremism, and for a lasting end to the cycles of violence.

As we implement the policy measures I have announced today, we will continue to assess the government of Israel by its actions. We want to see a new approach – in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Madame Deputy Speaker, today we refuse to be bystanders to further suffering and to the destruction of the two state solution.

We call out what is unlawful.

We act on the import of goods from illegal settlements.

We ban advertising of illegal settlements

We act on services to prevent new settlement expansion.

We act on settler violence.

We support accountability for what has happened in Gaza.

And we pledge to galvanise the international community to confront the ongoing and urgent humanitarian crisis.

Above all, we say: Britain is not silent in the face of deep injustice and nor is it powerless.

And today we act in concert with others in a broad international coalition.

I can tell the House that today France and Canada are announcing, alongside Britain, that they will also ban the import of goods from illegal settlements. 

Joining the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Norway – which have either banned goods or are in the process of doing so.

With many other countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden – pledging today they will support further action.

Madame Deputy Speaker, this is what Britain can achieve leading with others.

And this is in our fundamental national interest because if there is one lesson of recent decades, it is that we will never have stability in the Middle East without a two state solution.

And it is also the case that if we fail to stand up for the values that this country has long held and fought for, we lose credibility and influence in the world.

Madame Deputy Speaker, my parents came here as Jewish refugees and found sanctuary and a country that stood up for the rule of law, freedom and self-determination.

Those are the values this government is standing up for today.

And I truly believe that the vast majority of the British people, including in our communities with ties to the region, are united in their desire to see humanitarian suffering end, and all sides commit to a durable peace process.

And just as we want Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side, so we have to live out those values in Britain.

Jews in Britain, Muslims in Britain, people of all faiths and none have a right to live without prejudice or fear.

Madame Deputy Speaker, a Britain that upholds its values at home and around the world.

A Britain that fights against oppression and suffering wherever it occurs.

A Britain that stands up for what is right.

And I commend this statement to the House.

JEREMY CORBYN: Britain must end all support for Israel’s system of apartheid, occupation and genocide.

More words but no action on Israeli illegal incursion in Palestine

Joint Statement from the Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus on the E1 West Bank Settlement Plan:

The Israeli Government’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is unacceptable.

The international community has long opposed this settlement expansion, and has voiced their grave concerns privately and publicly. 

The E1 settlement will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories.

International law is clear that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. This is the position of the international community reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.

At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians, and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning.

We urge the Government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Not only will they take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel’s international standing.

Businesses should not consider bidding for construction tenders. They should be aware of legal and reputational consequences including the risk of involving themselves in serious breaches of international law.

We reiterate our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution. We will continue to act in its interest.

Local MP Calls for Israeli government to let aid flow freely into Gaza

Tracy Gilbert, Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith, has called on the Israeli government to let aid flow freely into Gaza after travelling to Jordan this week with an International Development Committee delegation to meet senior representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and discuss the urgent need to expand humanitarian access into Gaza.

During the visit, Gilbert received briefings on the humanitarian situation and the barriers to aid delivery. UNRWA officials warned that restrictions on aid deliveries are contributing to severe shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies and shelter.

The delegation visited the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO), which operates a warehouse storing humanitarian aid from a range of organisations, including the UK Government and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). There, Gilbert saw large quantities of food, baby formula and medical supplies, including prosthetics, ready for delivery to Gaza, but was told that much of the aid remains unable to reach those in need.

The delegation visit came on the same week that the UK Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon. Yvette Cooper MP, told the House of Commons that less than half of the aid promised in the 20-Point Peace Place is entering Gaza.

In the House of Commons, she said: “There are families without shelter and a public health crisis, with rodent infestations and communicable disease, and we are currently at barely half the level of the 4,200 trucks a week promised in the 20-point plan.”

Tracy Gilbert MP said: “Gaza is facing catastrophic conditions, and the international community has a responsibility to ensure that relief reaches those who need it most. Sadly, after briefings on the ground in Jordan this week it only served to reinforce my concerns about the lack of access and progress made since the peace plan had been agreed.

“The aid is there; however, it is not being made available. I have seen hundreds of boxes of baby formula and medication sitting in warehouses while people, just a few miles away, are in desperate need. No prosthetics have entered Gaza in the past year, despite thousands of people in need, with supplies ready to go.

“Among the supplies stored in the warehouses was aid funded directly by the UK Government, as well as assistance provided by UK charities through the generous donations of people across Edinburgh and the wider UK.”

Although a ceasefire agreement came into effect in October 2025, humanitarian organisations continue to warn that severe restrictions on aid and medical supplies mean many Palestinians in Gaza remain unable to access the support they urgently need. 

Ms Gilbert added:  “Eight months on from the Gaza Peace Plan there has been little improvement for people struggling to survive in Gaza. I am calling on the Israeli government to end the delays and allow the vital aid sitting on its borders to flow freely into Gaza.”

The Foreign Secretary’s Statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday 9th June can be found here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-06-09/debates/17B7E328-FC55-496D-839C-1AD698698BE6/MiddleEast

‘We are appalled by the deteriorating trajectory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem’: UK statement at the UN Security Council

MORE FINE WORDS – BUT THE SLAUGHTER GOES ON

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East:

The United Kingdom strongly supports the important work of the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee, and we welcome the constructive discussion that recently took place in Brussels. 

Colleagues, as we’ve heard today, the region faces another period of crisis. But we must not be distracted from seizing this historic opportunity to implement the 20 Point Plan for Gaza, endorsed by this Council in resolution 2803, and map a pathway to realising a two state solution. 

Sir Tony’s briefing set out how we can do that.

I will make three points. 

First, it is vital that all parties fulfil their commitments, respect the ceasefire, and engage constructively to implement phase two of President Trump’s 20 Point Peace Plan. 

We need a stable and phased security transition. This must include the demilitarisation of Hamas and other armed groups, deployment of the International Stabilisation Force alongside a Palestinian-led police force, and the withdrawal of the IDF. 

The United Kingdom has been clear that Hamas can have no future in the governance of Gaza. We urge them to engage constructively with demilitarisation talks, which, as we’ve heard, are taking place right now. 

We also need the right transitional governance arrangements in place. 

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and the Palestinian Authority must work together to deliver for the Palestinian people’s immediate needs and support early recovery and reconstruction efforts. 

Second, President, the humanitarian situation in Palestine remains grave. 

The World Food Programme has warned that whilst famine has not returned to Gaza, the food and nutrition situation remains deeply concerning. 

The UN reports that in the first quarter of this year, aid into Gaza from the UN and its humanitarian partners declined by 37 per cent compared to the previous 3 months. 

This is not meeting the targets defined in the 20 Point Plan. 

And the Government of Israel’s de-registration measures for international NGOs continue to constrict the humanitarian space for critical assistance. 

This is unacceptable. 

The UN, including UNRWA, and other humanitarian partners, must be able to operate unimpeded, with unrestricted entry and functioning crossings. 

Israel must allow much-needed medical equipment, shelter items, and fuel in to support essential and lifesaving services. 

And third, we are appalled by the deteriorating trajectory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 

Violence, including extremely troubling reports of sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement, and illegal evictions, is surging. 

According to OCHA, Israeli forces and settlers killed 33 Palestinians and injured 790 others in the first few months of this year alone. 

And last week, two Palestinians, Jihad Abu Naim and Aws al-Naasan, were shot and killed by an Israeli settler in a school. 

Aws was just 14 years old. 

We deplore such egregious acts of settler violence. 

The Israeli Government has rightly condemned this violence and launched an investigation. 

But accountability for previous incidents has been severely lacking. 

Condemnation alone is not enough; it must be translated into concrete steps to prevent attacks against Palestinians, ensure protection of civilians in line with International Law and ensure accountability where crimes have been committed. 

We are also witnessing an unprecedented pace of illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank, as well as severe Israeli economic restrictions. 

These must stop. 

These actions undermine the 20 Point Plan and the very viability of the two state solution. 

Mr President, we stand at a historic juncture. We urge the parties to show courage, engage in good faith on the peace plan, and seize this opportunity for the benefit of Palestinians, Israelis, and the whole region.

NOTE: Despite these latest words and months of hand-wringing, the slaughter continues unchecked and the UK continues to supply weapons support to Israel.

More than 100 pro-Palestine activists staged a blockade outside Leonardo, an arms factory with links to Israel, at Crewe Toll yesterday – Ed.

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£600,000 humanitarian aid for the Occupied Palestinian Territories

UN humanitarian fund receives Scottish Government funding

  • UN humanitarian fund receives Scottish Government funding announced by First Minister John Swinney in September, as part of a package of measures in relation to the crisis in Gaza
  • the funding will support the delivery of life-saving health services, food and nutrition assistance, emergency shelter, water and sanitation, protection services, education support and cash for families.

The UNOCHA fund helps to coordinate the humanitarian response by international and national organisations  to those in the affected areas.

Dr Ramiz Alakbarov, Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory said: “Scotland’s generous support to the Occupied Palestinian Territories Humanitarian Fund is a lifeline for Palestinians facing immense hardship.

“This solidarity from the Scottish Government and people enables us to deliver critical, life-saving assistance to those who need it most. We are deeply grateful for this meaningful contribution.”  

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “At this crucial time, Scottish Government funding will support the scaling up of the humanitarian response in Gaza. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic and the organisations on the ground will only be able to provide desperately needed assistance if the ceasefire holds and aid is allowed to enter.

“I am also pleased to report that following a request from UNICEF, 10 child patients from Gaza are now receiving treatment from NHS Scotland.

“This is part of our broader humanitarian response to the crisis ensuring vulnerable children receive the specialist medical care that they urgently need.”

The First Minister announcement of a package of measures in response to the crisis in Gaza – Support for defence companies involved in Israel halted – gov.scot

Starmer welcomes hostages release

The last 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are now back in Israel after spending more than two years in captivity.

The hostages were kidnapped by Hamas during the 7 October2023 attacks

Hamas says it will also hand over the remains of four dead hostages later today, but has told mediators it does not know the location of some of the other 24.

Israel has released almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of President Donald Trump’s peace plan.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the release of hostages in Gaza.

Starmer, who has travelled to the middle east, said: “I share the deep feeling of relief as hostages are released today.

“It is now crucial that we work together to implement President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.”

Prime Minister welcomes Trump’s Middle East peace plan

Starmer statement on the new US initiative to deliver an end to the war in Gaza:

‘The new US initiative to deliver an end to the war in Gaza is profoundly welcome and I am grateful for President Trump’s leadership.

‘We strongly support his efforts to end the fighting, release the hostages and ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza. This is our top priority and should happen immediately.

‘We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages. 

‘Together with our partners, we will continue work to build consensus to put into place a permanent ceasefire. We are all committed to a collective effort to end the war in Gaza and deliver a sustainable peace, where Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in safety and security.’

Empty Gesture? UK formally recognises Palestinian State

The UK has formally recognised Palestine ‘to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people’ – but continues to arm Israel

  • UK Government acts to protect the prospect of a two-state solution as the appalling situation in Gaza worsens, Israel continues its illegal settlement expansions in the West Bank and Hamas continues to hold the hostages
  • Prime Minister makes clear that Hamas will have no role in the future of Palestine and reiterates his call for them to release the hostages immediately and unconditionally
  • historic step taken alongside close allies Canada and Australia, as part of wider international effort to support a pathway to peace and protect the equal rights of both Israeli and Palestinian peoples

The UK has formally recognised Palestine to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

The historic decision, announced alongside Canada and Australia, comes as the situation on the ground in Gaza continues to worsen, Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in the West Bank, and Hamas continues to hold the hostages.

In July, the Prime Minister pledged to act if the situation did not change and firmly believes that the UK has a moral responsibility to do everything it can to support a peaceful future for Israel and Palestine – the prospect of which is slipping further away.

A two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state led by a reformed Palestinian Authority, is the only path to a lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people – free from the horrendous violence and suffering of the last two years.

Recognising Palestine is a historic decision, firmly grounded in the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination, which the government committed to as part of its manifesto.

In a statement this afternoon, the Prime Minister was clear this decision is not about Hamas. They are a brutal terrorist organisation that wants to see Israel destroyed. Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace with recognised borders is the exact opposite of their hateful vision. 

The government’s demands on them have not changed. It must release all hostages, agree to an immediate ceasefire, accept it will have no role in governing Gaza, and commit to disarmament.

The UK is also expected to take further action to sanction senior figures in the Hamas leadership in the coming weeks and keep doing everything possible to bring the hostages home.

Our support for Israel’s and the security of its people remains steadfast. But the Israeli government must also change course – halting their offensive in Gaza, letting the desperately needed humanitarian aid in, and stopping their illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Today’s historic decision, taken alongside some of our closest allies, to recognise a Palestinian State, reflects our unwavering commitment to a two-state solution and affirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

“Recognition is an important step to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution, at a time when it is now under unprecedented threat. Two states is the only way to safeguard long term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. 

“We are clear that Hamas can have no role in Palestine’s future – they are a barbaric terrorist organisation who oppose the very idea of two states. They must release the hostages and relinquish any hold on Gaza. But Hamas are not the Palestinian people.

“Recognition is only one part of what must be a stronger and wider push for peace. We need to end the conflict in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages and get humanitarian aid to all those who desperately need it.

“That requires not just an immediate ceasefire, but a plan for a durable peace, which will be a key to my diplomatic drive at the UN this week.”

Having recognised the State of Israel in 1950, the government believes it can no longer credibly continue to support the two-state solution without recognising both States. 

The decision does not remove the demands the government has made of the Palestinian Authority to conduct extensive reform. President Abbas has committed to this reform, including organising new elections within a year of a ceasefire.

The UK will continue to provide technical and financial support to the PA as it delivers these reforms and builds the State of Palestine, including through the work of UK Envoy for Palestinian Authority Governance Sir Michael Barber, who is enhancing the PA’s delivery and governance capabilities. 

The government has been clear that recognition is not enough to change the situation on the ground on its own.

That’s why the decision comes as part of coordinated international efforts to build consensus around a Framework for Peace, which addresses governance, security, humanitarian access, and ceasefire monitoring in Gaza, and the foundations of a two-state solution.

The UK will continue working closely with its allies to advance this plan, which recognition forms part of as the first, most urgent step towards lasting peace.

PM statement on the recognition of Palestine:

In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East…

We are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a Two State Solution.

That means a safe and secure Israel…

Alongside a viable Palestinian State –

At the moment, we have neither.

Ordinary people – Israeli and Palestinian…

Deserve to live in peace –

To try to rebuild their lives…

Free from violence and suffering.

That’s what the British people desperately want to see.

Yet, almost two years after the barbaric attacks of 7 October…

Hostages are still held by the terrorists of Hamas.

Recent images show the hostages suffering and emaciated.

Hamas refuse even to release all the bodies of the dead.

I have met British families of the hostages.

I see the torture they endure each and every day…

Pain that strikes deep in people’s hearts across Israel and here in the UK.

The hostages must be released immediately…

And we will keep fighting to bring them home.

Let’s be frank –

Hamas is a brutal terror organisation.

Our call for a genuine Two State Solution…

Is the exact opposite of their hateful vision.

So we are clear –

This solution is not a reward for Hamas…

Because it means Hamas can have no future.

No role in government.

No role in security.

We have already proscribed and sanctioned Hamas…

And we will go further –

I have directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths.

The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing…

Bombardment of Gaza…

The offensive of recent weeks…

The starvation and devastation…

Are utterly intolerable.

Tens of thousands have been killed –

Including thousands as they tried to collect food and water.

This death and destruction horrifies us all.

It must end.

We have now evacuated the first group of sick and injured children to the UK…

To be treated by the NHS.

And we continue to increase our humanitarian support.

But still, nowhere near enough aid is getting through.

We call again on the Israeli government…

To lift the unacceptable restrictions at the border…

Stop these cruel tactics…

And let the aid surge in. ***

With the actions of Hamas…

The Israeli government escalating the conflict…

And settlement building being accelerated in the West Bank…

The hope of a Two State Solution is fading.

But we cannot let that light go out.

That’s why we are building consensus with leaders in the region and beyond…

Around our Framework for Peace.

This is a practical plan to bring people together –

Behind a common vision and a series of steps…

Including the reform of the Palestinian Authority…

That take us from a ceasefire in Gaza…

To negotiations on a Two State Solution.

We will keep driving this forward.

As part of this effort…

I set out in July the terms on which we would act –

In line with our Manifesto –

To recognise Palestinian statehood.

That moment has now arrived.

So today –

To revive the hope of peace and a Two State Solution…

I state clearly, as Prime Minister of this great country…

That the United Kingdom…

Formally recognises the State of Palestine.

We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people.

Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian State too –

A pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people…

That there can be a better future.

…

I know the strength of feeling that this conflict provokes.

We have seen it on our streets…

In our schools…

In conversations with friends and family.

It has created division.

Some have used it to stoke hatred and fear.

But that solves nothing.

Not only must we reject hate…

We must redouble our efforts to combat hatred, in all its forms.

We must channel our efforts…

United together in hope…

Behind the peaceful future that we want to see:

The release of the hostages…

An end to the violence…

An end to the suffering…

And a shift back towards a Two State Solution…

As the best hope for peace and security for all sides.

THE Green Party responded: “The UK government has confirmed it will finally recognise the state of Palestine – a welcome step.

“But this must be accompanied by real, concrete actions to bring an end to the genocide in Gaza, including boycotts, sanctions and the end of arms sales to Israel.”

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Well done to all those who have tirelessly campaigned for the recognition of Palestine — an inalienable right of the Palestinian people.

“Next, the UK should recognise the genocide in Gaza, end its complicity in crimes against humanity, and stop arming Israel.”

The Conservative Party said: “Keir Starmer’s decision to recognise Palestine does nothing to stop the suffering of the innocent people caught in this war.

“It makes freeing the hostages even harder than it was before.

“The only people this benefits? Hamas.”

 

Scotland stands with Palestine: SNP government taking action to end genocide

UK GOVERNMENT MUST END ARMS SALES & RECOGNISE PALESTINE

Gordon Macdonald MSP has echoed First Minister John Swinney’s powerful statement on Palestine, urging the UK Government to take immediate action and outlining the action that the SNP will take with the powers Scotland has.

The genocide in Palestine has already claimed more than 63,000 lives. Famine is spreading throughout a ruined Gaza. While the Palestinian flag was raised at St Andrew’s House the First Minister set out Scotland’s humanitarian response and demanded action from Starmer’s government.

The SNP is demanding that the Labour UK government:

  • Immediately recognise the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders.
  • End all arms sales to Israel and withdraw from the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement
  • Impose sanctions on members of the Israeli government complicit in war crimes and illegal settlements
  • Ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements, following Ireland’s lead
  • Support international justice, including backing South Africa’s case at the ICJ and implementing ICC arrest warrants.

The actions that will be taken by the SNP Scottish Government include:

  • Trade and arms restrictions: New public funding will be paused for arms companies whose products are linked to states accused of genocide, including Israel. Any defence companies seeking support from the Scottish Government must prove that they are not supplying the Israeli military.
  • Medical support for children: Scotland will provide treatment for up to 20 injured children from Gaza, who will arrive with their families to Scotland from mid-September.
  • Support for students: working with universities to ensure Gazan students can attend Scottish universities if offered a place.
  • Justice and accountability: exploring how Scotland’s legal community, universities, and civil society can contribute to preserving evidence for international criminal cases.

Commenting, Gordon Macdonald MSP said: “Scotland will not stand by while genocide unfolds before our eyes. The SNP is ensuring that Scotland stands with Palestine by delivering real action.

“We’re sending humanitarian aid, treating injured children, supporting students, and halting public funding for companies linked to Israel’s war machine.”

“The Labour UK government must recognise the State of Palestine, end arms sales to Israel, and impose sanctions on Israeli war criminals. Anything less is a betrayal of international law and of basic human decency.

“The people of Scotland expect their leaders to speak out for justice and humanity. The SNP will always stand for peace, for dignity, and for a future where every life is valued equally.”

Support for defence companies involved in Israel halted

“In the face of genocide, there can be no ‘business as usual’” – First Minister

New awards of public money to defence companies involved with Israel will be halted, First Minister John Swinney announced yesterday as he set out a package of new economic, humanitarian and diplomatic measures in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

As the death toll in Gaza passes 63,000, the First Minister reiterated his concern at genocide unfolding in Gaza. He set out a package of measures including:

  • New awards of public money will be paused to defence companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed by that country, including Israel.
  • Instructing relevant delivery bodies such as Scottish Enterprise where possible to not provide support for trade between Scotland and Israel.
  • £400,000 to Kids Operating Room to establish the Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub – a rapidly deployable hospital in Gaza to provide essential surgical, maternity and paediatric services.
  • £600,000 to the UNOCHA led Humanitarian Fund for the Occupied Palestinian Territories to provide life-saving health services, food and nutrition assistance, emergency shelter, water and sanitation, protection services, education support and cash for families.
  • Calling for the UK Government to recognise the State of Palestine, withdraw from the existing Free Trade Agreement with Israel, end all military cooperation with Israel while the war continues, and prohibit the import of goods produced in illegal settlements.

In light of Russia’s invasion of and continued war against Ukraine the Scottish Government will lift the restriction previously applied to the use of public support for the production of munitions.

This will not be available to companies which fail to demonstrate that their products are not involved militarily with Israel or other countries implicated in genocide.

The First Minister said: “The situation in Gaza is a man-made humanitarian catastrophe. We must confront this crisis with urgency, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to accountability.

“This Government has consistently and unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas. We have joined the international community in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

“But I share the concerns of other countries and international leaders that a genocide appears to be unfolding in Gaza.  The legal determination of genocide is the responsibility of international courts. But, governments must act now.

“Defending our country – defending our continent – is a duty of government.

“Anyone watching the ongoing war in Ukraine would, I hope, recognise the reality of the importance of defence. Indeed, the invasion shows we live in a world in which our national security faces much greater and more immediate threats.

“In recognition of that changed international landscape, the Scottish Government will lift the restriction we have applied on the use of support for the production of munitions.

“But, in the face of genocide, there can be no ‘business as usual’.

“We are instructing relevant delivery bodies where possible not to provide support facilitating trade between Scotland and Israel.

“We will pause new awards of public money to defence companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed by that country. That will include Israel.

“Any defence company seeking support from the Scottish Government will have to demonstrate that its products are not involved militarily with Israel.

“And Scotland will directly address humanitarian need.  We have a long history of helping those in desperate need and we will not be found wanting now. I can announce today that we will provide £400,000 to establish the Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub in Scotland.

“We will also donate £600,000 to the UNOCHA led Humanitarian Fund for the Occupied Palestinian Territories which will provide life-saving health services, food and nutrition assistance, emergency shelter, water and sanitation, protection services, education support and cash for families, ensuring aid reaches those most at risk.

“We have also committed to providing medical support for up to 20 injured children from Gaza and expect the first arrivals along with their families in mid-September. 

“We are witnessing a humanitarian disaster of historic proportions. And yet, the bombs continue to fall.

“The world cannot wait for a final court ruling before acting. The signs are clear. The alarm has been raised.

“The bombs and rockets must stop.  Humanitarian aid must flow. 

“The international community, including the UK Government, must recognise a Palestinian state as the first step towards peace and a two-state solution. A solution where the peoples of both Israel and Palestine can live side-by-side in peace and security.

“Acknowledging that we are witnessing the signs of genocide brings with it a responsibility to act. The people of Scotland expect no less of us.

“Scotland will always raise her voice in favour of peace and humanity.”

Situation in Gaza: First Minister’s statement – gov.scot

Jewish Council of Scotland expresses concern

Response to the Scottish First Minister John Swinney’s Parliamentary Statement on the Situation in Gaza of 3rd September 2025 from Timothy Lovat, Chair, Jewish Council of Scotland

Timothy Lovat, Chair, Jewish Council of Scotland, said: “It is disappointing that despite his warm and reassuring words when we met with him and Angus Roberston on Monday, the First Minister has chosen to express a position that we are concerned will undermine the safety, security and well-being of the Jewish community in Scotland.

“We set out our concerns in writing to the First Minister‘s office yesterday and will continue to engage with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to safeguard our community’s welfare and future in Scotland.” 

THE JEWISH COUNCIL OF SCOTLAND’S LETTER READS:

Letter from Jewish Council of Scotland to First Minister, in Response to Yesterday’s Statement

2nd September 2025   

Dear First Minister,      

Thank you for meeting representatives of the Jewish community in Scotland yesterday.      

We welcome your stated commitment to the safety and well-being of our community.       

You also indicated at our meeting that you planned to make an intervention tomorrow, Wednesday  3rd September, relating to your view that Israel is engaged in the commission of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.      

As recognised during our meeting, the language used in public discourse matters greatly. In consequence, those who lead our country and our community have an especially significant role in setting the tone of public debate, including ensuring that they use language carefully and responsibly.      

In light of this shared recognition, it is important to us to bring to your attention our concerns about the implications of such a proposed intervention for us and our community.      

It is indisputable that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. It is equally beyond debate that both Israel and Hamas bear responsibility for this tragic situation. For you to assert as First Minister of Scotland that Israel is engaged in a genocidal campaign against Palestinians, however, would, in our view, be irresponsible.      

Ultimately, of course, only a competent court may determine whether and if so how the Genocide Convention may have been breached by Israel.      

More seriously in local terms, however, while any position you or the Scottish Government might take on the matter is unlikely to have any impact on the situation in Gaza, it is likely to have significant negative implications for our community here in Scotland.      

In particular, setting out a stance likely to be publicly perceived simply and without qualification as anti-Israel, without drawing any distinction between the state of Israel and its current leadership, or acknowledging the continuing culpability of Hamas, is likely to have a far greater and more immediate impact locally, fuelling “antizionist” – and antisemitic – hatred and discrimination against Scotland’s Jews and our institutions and symbols, than it is on the situation in the Middle East, let alone in Westminster.      

Indeed, it would be a tragic irony were our communal institutions, including Scotland’s only Jewish primary school, required to upgrade security provision in consequence of interventions by the Scottish Government and its leadership.      

Like you, the vast majority of Jews around the world are Zionists – supporters of the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in our ancestral homeland. Moreover, and again like you, our community and our institutions are committed to the realisation of a two-state solution, with a secure Israel existing alongside a viable Palestinian state.      

Rather than risk increasing fear, anxiety, and trauma in our community, we would respectfully ask you to work with us to promote that vision in a principled, pragmatic, and constructive manner.      

We thank you again for your engagement and for your continued commitment to the dignity and safety of all communities in Scotland.      

Yours faithfully        

Jewish Council of Scotland