The UK has a historical responsibility, both as a major foreign power, an ally of the USA and through our previous occupation of Palestine, partition, and the creation of Israel.
The UK’s past failure to play a role in delivering peace and justice for Palestinians is a major reason for the suffering and injustice that continues to this day. The slogan of the trade union movement ‘An Injury to One is an Injury to All’ has never been more apt than when applied to the current crisis in the Middle East.
Why the Israeli state?
Since 1948, the Israeli state has established a body of laws, policies, and practices that have systematically oppressed Palestinians. This political and legal system impacts Palestinians in different ways, depending on their political and geographical status. For most of the past half a century the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip has been under occupation by the Israeli State. Today, the occupation continues to control every aspect of the lives of Palestinians; denying their human rights, limiting their rights to public services including health and education, restricting their access to land, water and other natural resources and curtailing their freedom of movement.
The UK Government should not have normal diplomatic relations with the Israeli State.
