Labour, Palestine and Israel – Saturday 27th
Recognising the state of Palestine is just the first step. On its own it means nothing. Labour supporters of Palestine and Labour Friends of Israel gathering at separate events on the Labour conference Fringe could all agree on that. Views on the actions necessary diverged.
In a packed room in a hotel outside the main conference speakers declared their commitment to ending what they believe is the genocide being perpetrated in Gaza. Trade unionists and MPs – including John McDonnell and Richard Burgon – all agreed that the horror of the crimes being committed by the IDF must stop.
They called for the UK to stop selling arms to the Israelis, to stop operating reconnaissance flights in support of the IDF, to ban trade with West Bank “settlers” and to suspend all trade agreements with Israel. The feeling of the meeting was summed up by Richard Burgon MP, who said we must “Consign the Israeli apartheid to the dustbin of history.”
Palestine’s Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zamlot, bore personal testimony to the horrors in Gaza. He described the loss of thousands of innocent civilians, including members of his own family. He told us of the resilience and dignity of the survivors in the face of unimaginable challenges.
He welcomed the UK Government recognition of Palestine but closed with desperate plea: “Recognition gives us hope, only action will give us freedom.”
A meeting on the other side of conference felt a world away. Organised by Labour Friends of Israel the actions its speakers focused on were implementation of a long-term peace plan and political change in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Only then did they believe that a Palestinian state could become a reality.
Palestinian politician Nivine Sandouka, Israeli Democrat party politician, Jonathan Cumming and the UK’s Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer all agreed that the US was key to any settlement; that disarming and removing Hammas from the political equation was essential and that a lasting peace could only be made by a reformed Palestinian Authority and a radically different approach from the Israeli government.
They didn’t offer concrete actions for achieving those changes. They could only say that it would be very, very difficult.
And, in a chilling note, Nivine Sandouka warned that if Gazans had an election now Hamas would win.
There was also hope. She said Palestinian research indicated that a majority of Israelis support a Palestinian state if it is part of a regional settlement. Something Jonathan Cumming appeared to confirm, saying that he believed a silent majority of Israelis would back a two state solution if the hostages were freed, the fighting stopped and a moderate leadership replaced Hamas.
Adam Chadwick and Alan Conochie – 28/9/25