A cross-party group of MPs and peers, including Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson, has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to decisively change the government's stance on Israel and uphold the rights of the Palestinian people.
The letter, signed by around 80 parliamentarians, calls on Britain to formally recognise the United Nations' findings on genocide and to implement in full the International Court of Justice's ruling on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory. It also demands the imposition of comprehensive sanctions, including a full arms embargo and a ban on trade that supports Israel's illegal settlements.
Testing the New Prime Minister
The letter is widely seen as an early test of whether Burnham intends to chart a different course on the issue than his predecessor. Burnham has previously acknowledged that Labour's initial response to Israel's military action in Gaza fell short, saying the party needs to "do better" under his leadership, though he has so far offered only general commitments rather than specific policy changes.
Peter Leary, deputy director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, welcomed the letter, saying it echoed the views of millions of people across Britain and arguing that successive governments had failed to meet Britain's obligations under the Genocide Convention while continuing to support what he described as Israel's actions against the Palestinian people. Former Labour parliamentary candidate Faiza Shaheen added that if Burnham is serious about breaking from his predecessor's approach, he should also end ongoing prosecutions connected to protests against the banning of Palestine Action.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Pressure
This is not the first such intervention aimed at the new government. Earlier in July, a similarly sized group of MPs and peers, organised by Labour backbenchers Richard Burgon and Imran Hussain, wrote to then Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper timed to mark the second anniversary of the ICJ's advisory opinion, which found Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful. That letter warned that without bolder action, the Israeli government would continue to disregard international condemnation, and called for measures including a ban on trade with illegal settlements, an end to arms transfers including F-35 components, and suspension of the UK-Israel trade agreement.
A coalition of 17 charities, including Amnesty International UK and Save the Children UK, also urged Burnham to take "decisive action" on Gaza and the occupied West Bank in the days before he formally took office, while the UK's Middle East minister has indicated the government is already considering how to restrict trade linked to illegal settlements.
Why It Matters
With arms export licences to Israel already reduced but not eliminated, and growing cross-party pressure from Labour backbenchers, other parties, and international NGOs alike, the letter adds to the list of early decisions Burnham will need to make on foreign policy. How he responds is likely to be read as a signal of how far his government is willing to depart from the approach taken under his predecessor.
Full list of MPS
Kim Johnson MP
Diane Abbott MP
Shockat Adam MP
Lord John Alderdice
Paula Barker MP
Lorraine Beavers MP
Apsana Begum MP
Orfhlaith Begley MP
Baroness Natalie Bennett
Siân Berry MP
Lara Bird MP
Baroness Tessa Blackstone
Baroness Christine Blower
Richard Burgon MP
lan Byrne MP
Alistair Carmichael MP
Lord Michael Cashman
Ellie Chowns MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Pat Cullen MP
Ann Davies MP
Lord Bryn Davies
Carla Denyer MP
Lord Alf Dubbs
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
Sorcha Eastwood MP
Cat Eccles MP
John Finucane MP
Mary Foy MP
Andrew George MP
Lord Peter Hain
Chris Hazzard MP
Lord John Hendy
Chris Hinchliff MP
Dáire Hughes MP
Rupa Huq MP
Adnan Hussain MP
Imran Hussain MP
Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece
Baroness Barbara Janke
Baroness Jenny Jones
Afzal Khan MP
Ayoub Khan MP
Ben Lake MP
Chris Law MP
Graham Leadbitter MP
Brian Leishman MP
lan Lavery MP
Baroness Ruth Lister
Brian Mathew MP
Cathal Mallaghan MP
Paul Maskey MP
Andy McDonald MP
John McDonnell MP
Llinos Medi MP
Abtisam Mohamed MP
Iqbal Mohamed MP
Lord Shaffaq Mohammed
Grahame Morris MP
Lord Jonny Oates
Brendan O'Hara MP
Simon Opher MP
Manuela Perteghella MP
Yasmin Qureshi MP
Adrian Ramsay MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Marie Rimmer MP
Liz Saville Roberts MP
Lord Prem Sikka
Vikki Slade MP
Baroness Carmen Smith
Hannah Spencer MP
Zarah Sultana MP
Jon Trickett MP
Baroness Manzila Pola Uddin
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi
Nadia Whittome MP
Pete Wishart MP
Steve Witherden MP
Lord Tony Woodley
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