Tag: Palestine

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.”

 

GHF-run food distributions in Gaza are sites of “orchestrated killing”

A REPORT BY MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES

  • The GHF-run food distributions in Gaza, Palestine, have become sites of “orchestrated killing and dehumanisation”, not humanitarian aid.
  • A new MSF report documents the horrors witnessed by MSF staff at two clinics that regularly received mass influxes of casualties following violence at sites run by the GHF.
  • MSF calls for the immediate dismantling of the GHF scheme and the restoration of the UN-coordinated aid delivery mechanism.

An analysis of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical data, patients’ testimonies, and first-hand medical witnessing at two MSF clinics in Gaza, Palestine, point to both targeted and indiscriminate violence by Israeli forces and private American contractors against starved Palestinians at food distribution sites run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). 

MSF calls for the immediate dismantling of the GHF scheme; the restoration of the UN-coordinated aid delivery mechanism; and calls on governments, especially the United States, as well as private donors to suspend all financial and political support for the GHF, whose sites are essentially death traps.

A new MSF report, This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing, documents the horrors witnessed by MSF staff at two clinics that regularly received mass influxes of casualties following violence at sites run by the GHF, an Israeli-US proxy that has militarised food distribution.

Between 7 June and 24 July 2025, 1,380 casualties, including 28 dead, were received at MSF’s Al-Mawasi and Al-Attar clinics in southern Gaza, located near the GHF-run distribution sites. 

During those seven weeks, our teams treated 71 children for gunshot wounds, 25 of whom were under the age of 15. Faced with no alternatives to find food, starved families frequently send teenage boys into this lethal environment, as they are often the only males in the household physically able to make the journey.

In May 2025, the genocide in Gaza, Palestine, took a further disturbing turn as Israeli authorities sought to dismantle the UN-led humanitarian response and replace it with a militarised food distribution scheme run by a previously unknown entity — the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). All four distribution sites operated by the GHF are located in areas under full Israeli military control and “secured” by private American armed contractors.

MSF’s report ‘This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing’ draws on medical data, patient testimonies and first-hand medical witnessing to demonstrate that what has been branded as “aid distribution” is in fact a system of institutionalised starvation and dehumanisation.

MSF calls for an immediate cessation of the GHF distribution mechanism and urges states and private donors to refrain from funding what is essentially a death trap.

This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing.pdf — 2.63 MBDownload

MSF operates two primary healthcare centres in southern Gaza located in close proximity to the GHF distribution sites. Between 7 June and 24 July 2025, these health centres received 1,380 injured people, including 28 dead bodies from the GHF sites.

This represents only a fraction of the total number of people killed and injured at the distribution sites. MSF’s two health centres — due to their sheer proximity to the GHF sites — now place biweekly orders for body bags.

Over a seven-week period in June and July 2025, MSF staff treated 174 people for gunshot wounds originating from the GHF sites. The vast majority of those injured — 96 per cent — were young men. This reflects a grim survival strategy: families are sending the youngest and fittest to retrieve food.

The injured who arrive in our clinics are normally covered in sand and dust from time spent lying on the ground while taking cover from bullets.

A significant number of injured patients coming from the Khan Younis distribution centre (SDS3) had gunshot wounds to the lower limbs. The anatomical precision of these injuries strongly suggests intentional targeting of people within the distribution sites, rather than accidental or indiscriminate fire.

Of the 28 dead bodies received in our health centres, all but one were young men (aged 20–30 approximately) with gunshot wounds to the upper body.

Gaza: UK Government prepared to act at last?

PM SAYS STATE OF PALESTINE WILL BE RECOGNISED – UNLESS ISRAEL ‘TAKES SUBSTANTIVE STEPS TO END THE APPALLING SITUATION IN GAZA’

THE Prime Minister said:

On the 7th of October 2023 Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre in Israel’s history. 

Every day since then, the horror has continued. 

The hostages are still being held today. 

The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering. 

Now, in Gaza because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand: Images that will stay with us for a lifetime. 

The suffering must end. 

Yesterday I discussed this with President Trump. 

And we are mounting a major effort to get humanitarian supplies back in. 

By air, and UK aid has been air dropped into Gaza today. 

And – crucially – by land. 

We need to see at least 500 trucks entering Gaza every day. 

But ultimately – the only way to bring this humanitarian crisis to an end is through a long-term settlement. 

So we are supporting the US, Egyptian and Qatari efforts to secure a vital ceasefire. 

That ceasefire must be sustainable and it must lead to a wider peace plan, which we are developing with our international partners. 

This plan will deliver security and proper governance in Gaza and pave the way for negotiations on a Two State Solution. 

Our goal remains a safe and secure Israel, alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. But right now – that goal is under pressure like never before. 

I’ve always said we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the Two State Solution. 

With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act. 

So today – as part of this process towards peace I can confirm 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. 

Meanwhile, our message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged and unequivocal. 

They must immediately release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza. 

We will make an assessment in September on how far the parties have met these steps. 

But no one should have a veto on our decision. 

So this is the way forward. We will keep working with all our international partners to end the suffering, get aid flooding into Gaza and deliver a more stable future for the Middle East. 

Because I know that is what the British people desperately want to see.

Statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the recognition of a Palestinian State

Our overwhelming concern is for the Israeli hostages and for the people of Gaza. We must do all we can to end the current suffering and change the situation on the ground.

We demand an immediate ceasefire to stop the slaughter, that the UN be allowed to send humanitarian assistance into Gaza on a continuing basis to prevent starvation, and the immediate release of the hostages. We support the US, Qatari and Egyptian governments in their attempts to bring about a ceasefire.

We also need a comprehensive plan to end this misery and to get to a long-term settlement. We are committed to working together with our international partners to develop a credible peace plan for the next phase in Gaza that establishes transitional governance and security arrangements, and ensures the delivery of humanitarian aid at the necessary scale.

This must be accompanied by the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the removal of Hamas leadership from Gaza as key steps towards a negotiated two-state solution. We welcome the steps announced by President Abbas and these should be the basis for a comprehensive reform of the PA. 

We have long been committed to recognising a state of Palestine. As our election manifesto said, Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel.

We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.  

Hamas are a terrorist organisation responsible for the October 7th atrocities. They must never be rewarded. We have been unequivocal in our condemnation of those evil attacks, and our support for the right of the State of Israel to self-defence.

Hamas must immediately release all the hostages, sign up to an immediate ceasefire, accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza, and commit to disarmament.

We are determined to protect the viability of the two-state solution, and so we will recognise the state of Palestine in September before UNGA; unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commits to a long term sustainable peace, including through allowing the UN to restart without delay the supply of humanitarian support to the people of Gaza to end starvation, agreeing to a ceasefire, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.

We will make an assessment ahead of UNGA on how far the parties have met these steps. No one side will have a veto on recognition through their actions or inactions.  

But recognition by itself will not change the situation on the ground.

We are therefore taking additional immediate steps to alleviate the humanitarian situation, including air drops of humanitarian supplies along with Jordan, and getting injured children out of Gaza and into British hospitals alongside pressing strongly for UN deliveries of humanitarian assistance to resume. 

We also believe that a ceasefire will not last without urgent work on governance and security in Gaza, and the prospect of a long-term political settlement. We are therefore preparing a plan with our key allies for longer-term political negotiations and a two-state solution.

First Minister: Recognition should be irreversible and not conditional

First Minister John Swinney has responded to the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement that the UK intends to recognise the State of Palestine.

The First Minister said: “Having called on the UK Government to recognise the State of Palestine, I welcome the intent behind this announcement. However, recognition of a Palestinian state should be irreversible.

“Recognition must not be conditional and must be backed by sanctions against Israel if the violence continues.

“Israel must today agree to a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to flow in much more volume to address the starvation being faced in Gaza.

“A two-state solution is the only way that the Palestinian and Israeli peoples can have a future, living side-by-side in peace and security. The Palestinian people deserve no less.

“This announcement comes on the day that the number of deaths reported passed 60,000, a truly horrific milestone that shames us all. 

“The Israeli government must commit to end the killing and comply with its international obligations on the investigation of genocide and war crimes. We must see the unconditional release of all hostages.”

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Palestinian statehood is not a bargaining chip. It is not a threat. It is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people.

“Our demands on this shameful government remain the same: end all arms sales to Israel, impose widespread sanctions, and stop the genocide, now.”

ISRAELI leader Benjamin Netanyahu said the UK stance is ‘rewarding Hamas terrorism’.

Recognise the state of Palestine now!

AN APPEAL BY TUC GENERAL SECRETARY PAUL NOWAK

Palestinian civilians are being killed as they seek food, water, and shelter at Israeli-controlled aid distribution points.

I have been horrified by Israel’s continued assault on Gaza and the mounting death toll of innocent civilians.

Now respected international agencies are warning that Israel’s blockade of aid is causing mass starvation. And the violence shows no sign of abating.

Trade unions have always stood in solidarity with people under occupation, and for peace built on human rights, equality, and international law.

It is our duty as trade unionists to call out the horrors that are happening right in front of our eyes.

Please write to your MP and ask they use their voice to recognise the state of Palestine, deliver a ceasefire, end the illegal occupation and support the journey towards peace and justice.

Write to your MP now

More than 21 months of strikes on Gaza and its people has caused untold devastation, bloodshed and suffering.

In April I visited the occupied West Bank and witnessed first-hand the human and labour rights abuses being experienced by Palestinian workers on a daily basis.

The TUC has called on the UK Government 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.

While we welcome this month’s joint statement from foreign ministers – urging an end to the assault and for urgent aid access – statements alone are not enough.

Words must be matched with action. And there’s no time to wait.

That’s why we are calling on the Government to take immediate action to:

  • Recognise the state of Palestine now
  • Suspend the UK-Israel trade deal
  • Ban imports from the illegal settlement
  • End all licenses for arms traded with Israel, in line with international law
  • Sanctions on individuals promoting and committing war crimes

Can you write to your MP today to echo these demands?

Write to your MP now

Recognising the state of Palestine is not a symbolic gesture. It is a necessary and practical step towards a viable two-state solution that delivers equal rights and democracy– this is the only credible path to a just and lasting peace, ending decades of occupation, violence, and displacement.

On Monday, the UN will hold a conference in New York on the two-state solution.

This is an opportunity for our Government to agree to clear and immediate action on Palestine.

Whilst these discussions take place overseas, we must use our voices as trade unionists to call on our Government to act.

Please write to your MP today.

Thank you for using your voice.

In Solidarity,

PAUL NOWAK

General Secretary, TUC

‘The Israeli aid system is inhumane, ineffective, dangerous and fuelling instability’

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council open debate on the Middle East Peace Process:

‘My Foreign Secretary has been unequivocal: the war in Gaza must end now. Hamas and Israel must both commit to a ceasefire now.

‘A ceasefire is within reach and we urge all sides to make it a reality, to secure the release of the hostages, who have been cruelly held by Hamas since 7 October, and to end the appalling suffering of Palestinian civilians.

‘I will make three points.

‘First, the Israeli aid system is inhumane, ineffective, dangerous and fuelling instability. Reports and images this week of children dying from starvation are beyond horrific.

‘The IDF is shooting at desperate Palestinian civilians on an almost daily basis. Hamas is exploiting this disorder.

‘We call on Israel to end these attacks, hold those responsible to account and to work with the UN to implement effective aid distribution in line with humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law.

‘And let me reaffirm the UK’s firm and unequivocal support for the UN and OCHA in their brave efforts to get aid into Gaza.

‘We also condemn recent strikes on the WHO in Deir al Balah. Humanitarians and civilians must be protected.

‘Second, we condemn Defence Minister Katz’s proposals of forced displacement to Rafah.

‘Illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank continues at pace as well as settler violence, and even terrorism, against Palestinians. This is an accelerating campaign to prevent a Palestinian state.

‘We condemn these attacks and call for Israel to hold its citizens to account.

‘We also oppose the reintroduction of the E1 settlement plan, which is a flagrant breach of international law.

‘Third, we are clear that Hamas must play no future role in the governance of Gaza or be able to threaten Israel’s security again.

‘However, the organisation which represents a credible alternative to Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, is being undermined by Israeli actions.

‘Israel is withholding $2.6 billion in clearance revenues, crippling the Palestinian economy and pushing essential health and education services to the brink. This is not conducive to Israel’s security.

‘President, the United Kingdom is resolute in our commitment to a two-state solution and my Foreign Secretary has been clear that we are prepared to take further action to prevent the forcible erosion of the only viable path to lasting peace.

‘Next week’s conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is a vital opportunity to demonstrate the strength of international resolve to secure a better future for Israelis, Palestinians and the region.’

MORE FINE WORDS, BUT CONDEMNATION ALONE WILL NOT SAVE A SINGLE LIFE. OUR GOVERNMENT KNOWS FULL WELL THAT ACTION IS LONG OVERDUE – AND THE UK CONTINUES TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE ARMS TO ISRAEL.

WE ARE COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL’s WAR CRIMES.

HOW MANY MORE CIVILIANS WILL BE SLAUGHTERED OR DIE THROUGH STARVATION BEFORE NEXT WEEK’S ‘VITAL’ CONFERENCE – Ed.?

Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East

Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a statement to parliament on the Middle East yesterday:

With permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Middle East.

I’ll begin on Syria.

We have been horrified by the recent violence in the south, including civilian deaths.

Clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias have quickly escalated into intense fighting between government forces and further Israeli strikes on the Syrian military.

As I said directly to Foreign Minister Shaibani we want to see the fighting ended, civilians protected and the rights of all Syrians upheld.

The violence in Suwayda must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.

We want humanitarian access to be restored, aid delivered and Syria’s sovereignty must be respected. 

The UK can be proud of our support to the Syrian people over many, many years.

And a stable Syria matters to the UK’s national interest, for terrorism, for irregular migration, for regional stability.

We must work to prevent extremism, sectarianism or lawlessness taking hold now that Assad is gone.

That’s why we are backing a sustainable ceasefire and that is why we support an inclusive transition.

And that’s why I visited Damascus recently to support and to press the new government to meet its commitments.

I will now turn to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

It’s two and a half months since Prime Minister Netanyahu restarted offensive operations.

The IDF has driven Palestinians out of 86 per cent of Gaza, leaving around two million people trapped in an area scarcely over twenty square miles.

Whatever this Israeli government might claim, repeated displacement of so many civilians is not keeping them safe. In fact, it’s quite the reverse.

Mr Deputy Speaker, the new Israeli aid system is inhumane, it’s dangerous and it deprives Gazans of human dignity.

It contradicts long-stablished humanitarian principles. It creates disorder Hamas is exploiting with distribution points reduced from 400 to just four.

It forces desperate civilians, children among them, to scramble unsafely for the essentials of life.

It’s a grotesque spectacle, wreaking a terrible human cost.

Almost 1000 civilians have been killed since May seeking aid, including 100 over this weekend alone.

There are near daily reports of Israeli troops opening fire on people trying to access food.

Israeli jets have hit women and children waiting for a health clinic to open.

An Israeli drone has struck down children filling water containers which Israeli officials blamed on a ‘technical error’.

Hamas is contributing to the chaos and taking advantage of it.

I utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their most basic needs.

The Israeli government must answer:

What possible military justification can there be for strikes that have killed desperate, starving children?

What immediate actions are they taking to stop this litany of horrors?

What will they do to hold those responsible to account?

Mr Deputy Speaker, I have said before I am a steadfast supporter of Israel’s security and right to exist.

I treasure the many connections between our peoples

And the horrors of October 7th must never be forgotten.

But I firmly believe the Israeli government’s actions are doing untold damage to Israel’s standing in the world and undermining Israel’s long-term security.

Netanyahu should listen to the Israeli people, 82 per cent of whom desperately want a ceasefire.

And to the hostages’ families because they know it offers the best chance to bring their loved ones home.

Those hostages may be hidden in cramped tunnels under the ruins of Gaza but we will not forget them or Hamas’s despicable actions and we will continue to demand their unconditional release.

This offensive puts them in grave danger.

But still Netanyahu persists.

Indeed, Minister Katz has gone further proposing to drive Gaza’s entire population into Rafah, imprisoning Palestinians, unless persuaded to emigrate.

Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a cruel vision which must never come to pass.

I condemn it unequivocally.

Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.

Many Israelis themselves are appalled.

A former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said ‘it marches us into the abyss’. He was right.

Mr Speaker, today I joined a joint statement by 25 Foreign Ministers with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.

There is no military solution.

Negotiations will secure the hostages.

Further bloodshed serves no purpose. 

Hamas and Israel must both commit to a ceasefire now. 

And the next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.

I thank the US, Qatar, and Egypt for their tireless efforts.

And I am sure all Members share my intense frustration it has not happened.

Until there is such a breakthrough, we must keep doing all we can to relieve suffering.

UK aid has saved lives.

Reaching hundreds of thousands with food, water, hygiene, and sanitation, and essential healthcare.

And under the most appalling circumstances our aid is saving lives today.

That includes, the almost nine million pounds the UK has provided to UK-Med, since we entered office,

reaching half a million patients inside Gaza, 24,000 in the past fortnight alone.

Like 3-year old Razan.

UK-funded medics removed a bullet from her neck after nearly three hours of surgery.

These doctors and nurses working in the most extreme conditions are true heroes.

They deserve the thanks and admiration of the entire House.

We are also working, of course, multilaterally.

The 149 trucks from the World Food Programme and UNICEF entering Gaza in recent day included food supplies funded by the UK.

And thousands more trucks laden with aid paid for by British taxpayers can enter, the moment the Israeli government lets it.

Today, I am announcing an extra £40 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza this year, including seven and a half million for UK-Med to sustain their vital operations in Gaza and save more lives.

Mr Deputy Speaker, accompanying the horrors in Gaza, there is an accelerating campaign to prevent a future Palestinian state in the West Bank.

It’s embraced by Netanyahu, it’s encouraged by his Ministers. It’s driven by an extremist ideology which wants to suffocate the two-state solution, the only route to a lasting peace and security.

We see it in the unprecedented pace of settlement expansion.

In the shocking levels of settler violence, even settler terrorism,

for that is what the most egregious ideological attacks are.

And in the deliberate attempts to squeeze the Palestinian Authority, unjustly denying it access to its own funds, and it harms Israel’s long-term interests.

Now, the Israeli government is reintroducing plans to construct new units in the E1 area of occupied east Jerusalem.

If built, this settlement would separate the West Bank’s north from its south and Palestinians in the West Bank from East Jerusalem.

These plans are wholly unacceptable.

They are illegal.

And they must not happen.

Mr Deputy Speaker, we are also striving to keep open the prospects of a two-state solution.

UK assistance has been preserving the Palestinian Authority, contributing to essential Palestinian workers’ salaries and supporting them to progress critical reforms.

Today, I can confirm we are enhancing our support, providing £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance, implementing the agreement signed by myself and PM Mustafa earlier this year.

And we’re delivering the reform plans President Abbas has set out.

I can also confirm that we are providing £20 million to support UNRWA’s many services for Palestinian refugees.

And alongside this support, we are leading diplomatic efforts to show there must be a viable peaceful pathway to a Palestinian state, involving the PA, not Hamas, in security and governance of the area.

Hamas can have no role in the governance of Gaza nor use it as a launchpad for terrorism.

Israeli Ministers should support the PA – not actively undermine its economy, as Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are doing.

The UK is co-leading with Egypt the humanitarian and reconstruction track for the forthcoming Two-State Solution Conference.

And we are pushing to agree plans for a credible next phase in Gaza with a responsible, reformed PA at their core.

So we turn any temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace.

Mr Deputy Speaker, in our year in office, this Labour Government has acted to address this horrendous conflict.

We restored funding to UNRWA, after the Tories froze it.

We suspended arms export licenses, when the Tories declined to act.

We have provided nearly a quarter of a billion in humanitarian assistance, this year and next, getting medical treatment and food to hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza.

We have stood with the hostage families at every stage.

We’ve worked with Jordan to fly medicines into Gaza, with Egypt to treat medically evacuated civilians, with Kuwait and UNICEF to help children in Gaza.

We’ve delivered three sanctions packages on violent settlers, suspended trade negotiations with this Israeli government and sanctioned far-right Israeli Ministers for incitement.

We have defended the independence of international courts. We signed a landmark agreement with the Palestinian Authority, and hosted the Palestinian Prime Minister in London, pushing for the reform it needs.

We called for…

worked for…

and voted for…

an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages at every possible opportunity.

And we will keep doing so until this war is over, Hamas release the hostages and we finally have a pathway to a two-state solution.

I commend this statement to the House.

But while Lammy spoke, our country continues to supply Israel with weapons being used to slaughter innocent people in the Middle East.

Actions, not words.

Thee more Palestine protesters arrested in Edinburgh

Three men have been arrested in Edinburgh under the Terrorism Act 2000 for showing support for a proscribed organisation.

Around 1.30pm, a 58-year-old man was arrested by officers in the vicinity of the Scottish Parliament for displaying a sign showing support for a proscribed organisation.

Earlier, two men aged 78 and 60 years, were arrested for showing support for a proscribed organisation at a protest in Edinburgh on Saturday, 19 July 2025.

Reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

Three women arrested following Leonardo incident

ATTEMPT TO BREACH PERIMETER FENCE

Three women, aged 31, 34 and 42, have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 after a van was driven into an external fence of a business premises at Crewe Toll.

The incident happened during a disturbance in the Crewe Road North area this morning (Tuesday, 15 July, 2025).

Police Scotland’s Counter Terrorism Unit are leading the investigation and enquiries are ongoing.

Police are treating this as targeted, and do not believe there is any wider threat to the public.

If anyone was on Crewe Road North or in the nearby supermarket carpark during the early hours of this morning and has any relevant dashcam footage or saw anything suspicious, please contact the Police on 101 quoting reference 0416 of 15 July.

Dark day for the world as loose cannon Trump bombs Iran

TWO WEEKS? HE COULDN’T WAIT TWO DAYS TO ATTACK IRAN

The United States of America has bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.

The overnight attack by ‘our great American Warriors’ has been welcomed by Israel, who initiated the latest conflict with Iran last week.

US President Trump, without a trace of irony, is now calling for peace!

Also calling for peace, but perhaps with more sincerity, is the United Nations – which has once again been found to be impotent when faced with international agression by major military powers.

United Nations general secretary António Guterres said in a statement: “I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.

“I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.

“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos.

“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”

Some US politicians have also expressed concern that Congress was not consulted over the agression.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said on Twitter: “President Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution.“

World leaders, including Great Britain, with our so-called ‘special relationship’, will doubtless call for restraint and urge negotiations this morning, but let’s be honest: Trump, and by association Netanyahu, will do exactly what he wants. And who can stop him?

Predictably, the UK did not condemn the actions of the US.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued this short statement: “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.

“The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”

Tracy Gilbert calls on UK Government to recognise the State of Palestine

Yesterday (6th May 2025), Edinburgh North and Leith Labour MP Tracy Gilbert, urged the UK government to officially recognise the state of Palestine, warning that any further delay could result in the loss of a viable Palestinian state, that includes Gaza. 

The call followed announcements from the Israeli Security Cabinet over the weekend to expand and intensify Israel’s military operation across the entire Gaza Strip, potentially leading to a full military occupation. 

In a statement made in the House of Commons by the Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer MP, Gilbert said, “Now I fear that if we do not recognise a Palestinian state, there will be no Palestinian state that includes Gaza left to be recognised.” 

Ms Gilbert’s position has been reinforced by her visits to Israel and Occupied Palestine, which have deepened her belief in the urgency of recognition as part of the process to secure a ceasefire and lasting peace through a two-state solution. 

Palestine Red Crescent Society teams and volunteers provide first aid services and psychological first aid to families returning on foot to northern Gaza. PRCS volunteers are also distributing water and leaflets to raise awareness about unexploded objects.

Following the statement, Tracy Gilbert MP said, “I know that the actions of the Israeli government in this conflict have alarmed my constituents.

“I have seen first-hand the state of ruin that large parts of Gaza are now left in. And after two months of blockading vital aid, essential supplies of food and medicine are low, leading to a humanitarian crisis. 

“Recognising the state of Palestine is an essential step in helping to bring about the conditions for a ceasefire and long-term security through a two-state solution. I will continue to urge the UK government to recognise Palestine immediately and to place further pressure on the Israeli government to bring them to the negotiating table.”