UK Foreign Secretary Slams Israel, Defends Ban on Settlement Goods

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband delivered a fiery speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, condemning "war crimes" in Gaza and criticizing Israeli government policy. He defended the UK government's decision to ban trade with settlements in the West Bank, acknowledging it was partly due to internal pressure from "millions" in Britain, including a growing Muslim population, who are "appalled" by events in Gaza. "We hear you. You were right," Miliband stated, addressing these concerns.

Miliband, a prominent figure on the left of the Labour Party, made these remarks amidst a separate security incident involving the arrest of five suspects near RAF Fairford, a base used by the US Air Force. While Iran denied involvement, British media reported that Tehran might have been behind the suspects, who were later surprisingly released. This incident caused some embarrassment for Miliband, who had recently met with Iran's Foreign Minister.

The Foreign Secretary dedicated a significant portion of his speech to UK-Israel relations, highlighting his role in the decision to ban trade with settlements. He cited Israel's plans to build new settlements in the strategic E1 area between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem as a key reason, arguing it would prevent Palestinian territorial contiguity and hinder the prospects of a future Palestinian state. Miliband declared that under new leader Andy Burnham, Britain is "rebooting" its approach to Israel, denouncing "ethnic cleansing by terrorist settlers," "evidence of war crimes in Gaza," and the "illegal occupation of Palestine."

He affirmed Britain's support for Israel's security and condemned the October 7th Hamas attack, stating, "We will always stand against antisemitism." However, he argued this does not justify the suffering caused by the "Netanyahu government in Gaza and the West Bank," calling it a "stain on the conscience of the world." Miliband's comments came as the Labour Party faces increasing internal pressure to adopt a harsher stance against Israel, fueled by large anti-Israel protests in Britain and competition from the Green Party for left-wing voters.

Outside the conference, radical left-wing protesters demonstrated, demanding the government de-list the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization and officially declare the events in Gaza a "genocide." Miliband was confronted by protesters at a restaurant, who urged him to remove the designation for Palestine Action and declare genocide. He appeared embarrassed and attempted to end the interaction. Separately, Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced a new plan to prioritize Palestinian asylum seekers, along with Afghan women and children, for resettlement in the UK, aiming to provide safe and legal routes as an alternative to dangerous Channel crossings. This plan has drawn criticism from the right, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggesting danger in accepting Palestinian refugees and citing a report about a former Hamas security official receiving asylum in the UK.