Welcome to the Liberal Democrats Friends of Palestine (LDFP) news bulletin. This bulletin aims to keep you up to date and engaged with the latest updates related to LDFP and Liberal Democrat Parliamentarians’ contributions about Palestine in parliament.

Lib Dem Voice Articles Top lawyers challenge the government on Gaza – 29th May 2025, Lib Dem VoiceThis week, a powerful open letter signed by 828 lawyers called on the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel to meet its legal obligations. Responding to the letter, Andy Daer argues that the UK is violating its responsibilities under international law by failing to sanction Israel and end UK military complicity. He also calls for strong UK opposition to Israel’s militarised aid distribution scheme, which bypasses humanitarian agencies and deepens civilian suffering. Action on Gaza at last – but is it fast and far-reaching enough?– 22nd May 2025, Lib Dem VoiceIn this article, LDFP Vice-Chair Johnathan Brown responds to the latest government measures on Palestine, which include a formal pause on UK-Israel trade negotiations and targeted sanctions on a handful of illegal settlers. While he welcomes the new measures as belated steps in the right direction, Johnathan highlights the urgency of the situation on the ground in Gaza and calls for tougher, more decisive measures including comprehensive sanctions, a full arms embargo, and immediate UK of the Palestinian state.  The responsibility of Parliament to act on the Gaza war – 23rd April 2025, Lib Dem Voice LDFP member Andy Daer argues that Britain has a legal and moral duty under international law to act decisively to stop the mass killing in Gaza. Andy criticises the UK government for its inaction and calls for full sanctions on Israel, urging MPs to form a cross-party coalition to force change.

Parliamentary Round Up While far from sufficient to confront the mass atrocities taking place in Gaza daily, the latest government measures are belated steps in the right direction – spurred in part by mounting pressure from parliamentarians on the government to take action. This month, many of our 72 Liberal Democrat MPs have spoken out in Parliament, condemning the Israeli government’s repeated breaches of international law and urging the UK government to respond decisively.  Here are the highlights:  Parliamentary Debates (22 May) House of Lords – Urgent Statement on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories Lord Purvis: ”It would be utterly inconceivable for us to even imagine walking out of this Parliament building and witnessing every child in London being forcibly walked with their mother to Slough and back again three times, on foot, and offered no shelter or medicine, or sanitary products, if they are a girl, and now, with no food, literally facing dying of starvation. This apocalyptic view would be utterly inconceivable to us, but it is the reality in Gaza.“ Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript (20 May) House of Commons – Urgent Statement on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories Calum Miller MP:  “Will the Foreign Secretary confirm whether the expanded sanctions list includes extremist Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, who have advocated illegal actions to dispossess Palestinians across the occupied territories, and if not, why not? Will the Government go beyond reviewing the 2030 bilateral road map and urgently suspend it unless the Government of Israel change path? Will they now finally block the export of all UK arms to Israel?” Vikki Slade MP:  ”The Foreign Secretary talks of children orphaned. The prediction is that 14,000 babies will die. If that comes true, it would wipe out an entire generation. We have also seen families burned alive in tents, in events that have shocked the world. Enough is enough. I join the right hon. Member for North West Hampshire (Kit Malthouse) in begging the Foreign Secretary—on my knees, if I need to—to take more action.'” Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript (14 May) Commons Chamber –Prime Minister’s Questions Ed Davey MP: ”For more than 10 weeks Israeli forces have blocked food, water and medicine getting into Gaza. There is now a humanitarian catastrophe, with 2 million people at risk of famine and one in five facing starvation. Rather than ending this crisis, the Netanyahu Government are planning to seize all Gaza indefinitely. I know the Prime Minister will agree that the blockade of Gaza should end and I am sure he will agree that it would be appalling if Netanyahu proceeds with that escalation, but will he act now and pick up the phone to President Trump for a joint plan to recognise Palestine and get food, water and medicine into Gaza?” Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript (14 May) Commons Chamber –Gaza: UK Assessment  Monica Harding MP:  ”Will the Government now recognise that the blockade constitutes a clear violation of international law? The Government must respect whatever determination the ICJ reaches regarding genocide. There are already clear obligations on the Government to prevent genocide in Gaza arising from the ICJ’s January 2024 order. Have the Government taken any steps to meet those obligations?” Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript (13 May) Commons Chamber –Foreign Office Questions Calum Miller MP:  ”Gaza has been starved of humanitarian aid for over 70 days now… In March, the Foreign Secretary withdrew his assessment that the blockade is a breach of international law. Will the Minister state how many days the blockade must continue before the Government recognise it as a breach of international law? To make clear the UK’s support for Palestine’s right to self-determination and opposition to the extremist policy of annexation by force, will the Government commit to working with France towards the joint recognition of the state of Palestine at the conference next month?” Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript (07 May) House of Lords  –Middle East Update Baroness Northover:  ”Over 250 illegal settlements have been built across the West Bank, now with over 700,000 settlers. Given Israel’s refusal to withdraw its illegal settlements in line with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, when will the Government take action to stop the continuation of these violations of international law?“ Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript (06 May) Commons Chamber –Middle East Update Munira Wilson MP: ”We get from the Minister strong opposition, a request for “urgent clarity” and a reiteration of his “outrage”. He says that he is taking action, but he can hear from all sides of the House that nobody is satisfied with the level of action that the British Government are taking. I implore him to listen to the support from all sides of the House, recognise a Palestinian state, impose a full arms embargo on Israel and sanction Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. In the name of God, as others have said, please can we get aid into Gaza so that people will stop starving?” Watch on ParliamentTV Read the Hansard transcript Written Questions (20 May) Rachel Gilmour MP – Gaza and Occupied Territories: IsraelQuestion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Oral Statement of 20 May 2025 on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, what discussions he has had with (a) his Israeli counterpart (b) other Israel representatives on that Statement.Government response: Awaiting response – due for answer by 22 May  (14 May) Tom Morrison MP – Palestinians: Recognition of StatesQuestion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to recognise the state of Palestine.Government response: Awaiting response – due for answer by 16 May  (14 May) Tom Morrison MP – Gaza: IsraelQuestion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to support (a) international legal action and (b) referrals to the International Criminal Court against people responsible for (i) violations of international humanitarian law and (ii) the killing of aid workers in Gaza.Government response: Awaiting response – due for answer by 16 May  (14 May) Tom Morrison MP – Gaza: Israel Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Israeli security cabinet’s plan to capture and hold territory within the Gaza strip.Government response: Awaiting response – due for answer by 16 May  (13 May) Anna Sabine MP – Gaza: Humanitarian AidQuestion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to restart the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza.Government response: Awaiting response – due for answer by 15 May (13 May) Lord Oates – Hamas: Israel  Question: To ask His Ma– jesty’s Government what representations they have made to Hamas and the government of Israel to encourage them to return to the previously agreed ceasefire, complete the release of all hostages, and negotiate a path out of conflict.Government response: Awaiting response – due for answer by 28 May (8 May) Munira Wilson MP – Dual Use Goods and Technologies: IsraelQuestion: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to restrict dual-use technology from being exported to Israel.Government response: All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. On 2 September we took decisive action, suspending certain licences for exports of items for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) that might be used in military operations in Gaza – whether such licences covered military or dual-use goods – and we continue to review licence applications on this basis. Early Day Motions (08 May) EDM 1230: Gaza occupation proposals – Tabled by Calum Miller MP and sponsored by Liberal Democrat MPs Monica Harding, James MacCleary, Munira Wilson, Helen Maguire and Tom Morrison That this House expresses its outrage at proposals by the Israeli Government to indefinitely occupy Gaza; condemns the plans for the further forced displacement of Palestinians; affirms its belief that, if realised, these would constitute clear breaches of international law; notes with immense concern that these proposals will only make it more difficult to ensure the remaining Israeli hostages in Hamas’ captivity will return to Israel safely; believes that these measures will not bring more long-term security to Israel; urges the Government to commit to banning the export of all UK arms to Israel to ensure no UK weapons can be used to perpetrate human rights abuses in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; further urges the Government to sanction the extremist Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, who actively promote expansion into the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and calls on the Government immediately to recognise the state of Palestine, as a way of giving hope to millions of Palestinians and affirming their right to self-determination. (01 May) EDM 1186: Blockade of aid to Gaza – Tabled by Calum Miller MP and sponsored by Liberal Democrat MPs Wendy Chamberlain, Helen Maguire, Munira Wilson, Alistair Carmichael and Anna Sabine.  That this House expresses its deep concern that the Israeli Government’s current blockade of Gaza has now exceeded 50 days; notes with alarm the recent announcement from the World Food Programme that it has fully depleted its food stocks in Gaza; further notes the severe shortages of medicine, medical equipment, and staff to provide medical attention to those most in need; acknowledges that the vast majority of international and Palestinian aid organisations working in Gaza have had to suspend or scale back services since the recommencement of hostilities on 18 March 2025; and urges the Government to use all levers at its disposal to put pressure on the Israeli Government to immediately reopen aid routes into Gaza to allow essential goods and supplies to reach those suffering and alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Upcoming Parliamentary Business Tuesday 2 June, House of Commons: Adjournment Debate: Arms and military cargo export controls and Israel Thursday 4 June, House of Commons: Ten Minute Rule Motion: Gaza (Independent Inquiry)  Friday, 20 June, House of Commons: Palestine Statehood (Recognition) (No. 2) Bill: Second Reading Tuesday 24 June, House of Commons: Foreign Office Oral Questions

Top Stories Photo by hosnysalah, a Palestinian photographer currently living in the Gaza Strip. Aid blockade: How a US-backed body plans to handle Gaza’s food distribution and why aid groups oppose it – AP News, 28 May One dead and dozens injured after gunfire at aid hub in Gaza – Sky News, 28 May  Palestinian minister reports 29 starvation-related deaths among Gazan children, elderly – Reuters, 22 May Gaza Humanitarian Foundation boss quits over independence concerns – Sky News, 26 May Israel lets aid into Gaza after 11-week blockade but UN calls it ‘drop in ocean’– BBC News, 19 May  US confirms plan for private firms to deliver Gaza aid despite UN alarm – BBC News, 9 May Military assault on Gaza: Gaza death toll nears 54,000 – Middle East Eye, 25 May 2025 Nearly half of Israelis support army killing all Palestinians in Gaza, poll finds – Middle East Eye, 24 May Israeli soldiers accused of widespread use of human shields in Gaza – as it happened – The Guardian, 24 May  Israel-Gaza war: Netanyahu says all of Gaza will be under Israel’s control by end of offensive – as it happened – The Guardian, 21 May Israel accused of ethnic cleansing after more than 140 killed in Gaza in 24 hours – The Guardian, 17 May Israel security cabinet approves plan to ‘capture’ Gaza, official says – BBC News, 5 May  West Bank: Israel confirms plans to create 22 new settlements in occupied West Bank –The Guardian, 29 May Israeli settlers force about 150 Palestinians to leave their West Bank village – The Guardian, 23 May Far-right Israeli minister’s call to annex West Bank sparks outrage – Financial Times, 12 May Israeli troops fire ‘warning shots’ at 25 diplomats visiting occupied West Bank– The Guardian, 21 May  Ceasefire negotiations:  Middle East crisis live: Hamas says Israeli-backed US ceasefire plan would continue ‘killing and famine’ in Gaza – The Guardian, 30 May  Netanyahu reportedly accepts US Gaza ceasefire plan – but Hamas ‘disappointed’ – Sky News, 29 May  UK response:  More than 800 lawyers, judges call for UK sanctions on Israel over Gaza war – Al Jazeera, 27 May  UK suspends trade talks with Israel and attacks ‘repellent’ extremism – The Guardian, 20 May  UK sanctions hit West Bank violence network – Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, 20 May Approved UK arms exports to Israel skyrocketed under Labour, data shows –Middle East Eye, 15 May Campaigners take UK to court over export of F-35 components to Israel – Al Jazeera, 13 May