The foreign secretary, David Lammy, recently spoke out against Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling them “intolerable” during a session in the Commons. While MPs shouted “genocide,” Lammy announced the suspension of trade negotiations with Israel and summoning of Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s ambassador to the UK, to the Foreign Office. Additionally, the UK imposed sanctions on individuals and groups in the West Bank linked to violence against Palestinians, including Daniella Weiss, a settler activist featured in Louis Theroux’s documentary “The Settlers.”
UK’s move was met with criticism from Israel, with Oren Marmorstein from the Israeli foreign affairs ministry calling it “regrettable” and stating that the free trade agreement talks were not progressing due to the UK government’s actions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allowed a limited amount of aid into Gaza in response to global concerns about famine reports. However, Lammy criticized Netanyahu’s government for isolating Israel and harming its image globally by imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians.
The situation escalated as Israel continued its military offensive in Gaza and restricted aid into the enclave. Tom Fletcher from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs accused Israel of imposing cruel conditions on Palestinians by blocking aid from entering Gaza. He urged the UN Security Council to intervene to prevent genocide, a claim vehemently denied by Israel. Lammy condemned Israel’s actions, stating that Netanyahu’s government planned to drive Gazans from their homes and provide them with insufficient aid, painting a grim picture of the conflict’s future.
In response to calls for further action against Israel, some Labour MPs demanded a full arms embargo and questioned the government’s plans to prevent genocide. While the statement was seen as a step forward, doubts remained about the tangible impact of the measures without concrete timelines and sanctions. Israeli officials defended their plans to seize all of Gaza and move the civilian population southward to defeat Hamas. Netanyahu criticized the joint statement by UK, France, and Canada leaders, accusing them of offering a prize for genocidal attacks on Israel and emphasizing Israel’s commitment to defending itself until total victory is achieved.
