Recent statements from the UK government and its representatives have made one thing abundantly clear: the Government fully understands both the dire situation on the ground in Palestine and the extent to which Israeli actions are violating international law. Sadly, what remains absent is any willingness to translate that recognition into meaningful action.  There is an opportunity for our MPs, when they return from recess next week, to make a difference.

Speaking at the UN Security Council this week, the UK’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Ambassador James Kariuki, described in no uncertain terms the appalling suffering of the people in Gaza as a result of the Israeli blockade. He referred to children “living amid sewage, parasites, and disease”, “images of newborn babies with rat bites on their faces” and UN reports of “widespread infestations now affecting almost 1.5 million people.” The statement also condemned the taunting of flotilla activists in a recent video posted by Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and called for an end to escalating settlement expansion and the forced displacement of Palestinians in the unlawfully occupied West Bank.

A similarly stark tone was adopted in a joint statement issued this week by the UK and allies on Israel’s rapidly advancing E1 settlement project, which would sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, making the territorial continuity necessary for a future Palestinian state virtually impossible. The statement could hardly have been clearer on the illegality of the project. “The E1 settlement development would divide the West Bank in two and mark a serious breach of international law,” it warned, adding that businesses “should not bid for construction tenders for E1 or other settlement developments” and should be aware of the “legal and reputational consequences” of participating.

Unfortunately, this strong rhetoric which follows nearly two years of handwringing by Labour Ministers, does not appear to have been matched by any consequential action. Despite its repeated expressions of concern, the UK continues to permit trade with Israel’s illegal settlements, continues to provide military assistance and arms exports to Israel, and remains unwilling to take steps to force a change in Israeli policy.

The warning to businesses over E1 ultimately amounts to little more than handwringing unless now backed by actual consequences for companies that proceed regardless. What is required is a serious package of measures proportionate to the gravity of the situation. That should include sanctions, including fines, for any UK firms that bid for tenders relating to settlement construction in the E1 area or elsewhere in Palestine, as called for by Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Calum Miller in his recent letter to the Foreign Secretary. As Calum’s letter notes, the government response should also include implementing the Liberal Democrats’ longstanding policy of banning all trade in goods and services with Israel’s settlements.

It is encouraging to see the Liberal Democrats leading on this issue, not only because of the deteriorating situation on the ground, but because there is now a genuine political opening to push the Government to go further. 

Given the strength of feeling among Labour members over Palestine, this issue is likely to become significant in any future leadership contest. There seems to be a good chance that any future Prime Minister will be willing to take bolder action, given past comments by frontrunners Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham suggesting discomfort with the Government’s current position. Pressure is also growing within the parliamentary party itself, with unease among many Labour backbenchers, several of whom face sustained pressure from constituents and local party members on Palestine. 

In that context, this feels like one of those rare moments where a concerted Liberal Democrat push could realistically force movement from a government that has so far been reluctant to act. Given the terminal threat to the two-state solution posed by the E1 settlement project, it makes sense strategically to maintain focus on the issue of settlement expansion and the urgent need for a ban on settlement trade and sanctions for businesses that bid for contracts relating to settlement construction. 

Making this a priority is not only the right thing to do morally but also politically, as it presents an opportunity for the Liberal Democrats to show disaffected soft-left voters that the Greens are not the only option for those seeking more principled leadership on the world stage. The recent local election results demonstrated that we need to do more to amplify our messaging on Palestine if we are to avoid being leapfrogged by the Greens in urban areas, university towns, communities with large Muslim populations, and other places where Palestine is an issue of deep concern to voters.

As a party that has consistently championed the two-state solution, we must seize this opportunity to drive meaningful change and make every possible effort to prevent the prospect of a future Palestinian state from quietly slipping away.

 

 

* John Kelly is the Secretary of Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine and an active member in Warwickshire.