Responding to today’s Petitions Committee debate on two e-petitions relating to the ongoing war in Gaza – calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state and a suspension of all arms sales to Israel – Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer MP set out the UK’s approach to the conflict in Read more…
In today’s Petitions Committee debate on two e-petitions relating to the ongoing war in Gaza – calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state and a suspension of all arms sales to Israel – LFI vice-chair Mike Tapp made a speech warning against “symbolic gestures” and encouraging a focus on Read more…
Following developments in Syria over the weekend, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and former LFI vice-chair Pat McFadden MP has reiterated that the government “will always support Israel’s right to defend itself and make itself secure”. Speaking on Sky News, he continued that the overthrow of Assad “had partly Read more…
At today’s Prime Minister’s Questions session, Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mandy Damari, mother of the last remaining British-Israeli national still being held hostage in Gaza, 28-year-old Emily Damari. He said: “I also note that we are joined in the Gallery today by Mandy Damari, the mother of Read more…
***CHECKED AGAINST DELIVERY*** Chief Rabbi, Honoured Guests… It’s a privilege to be invited to speak to you today. And I’d like to begin by thanking our lunch co-sponsors – Sir David Garrard and Stuart Roden. And I know everyone here will join me in sending our very best wishes to Read more…
Keir Starmer yesterday addressed LFI’s Annual Lunch – its biggest in 15 years – and underlined his support for Israel and a two-state solution. The prime minister also had strong words for Iran, restated the government’s opposition to BDS, and made a major announcement on Britain’s work to help establish Read more…
Labour Friends of Israel has today announced three new honorary vice-chairs, following July’s landslide general election victory for the Labour Party. The new honorary parliamentary officers are three MPs elected for the first time this year – Bristol North East MP Damien Egan, Bassetlaw MP Jo White, and Dover and Read more…
At today’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Questions session, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer and International Development Minister Anneliese Dodds respectively reiterated the government’s positions on the need to free the 101 Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza and the need to tackle the threats posed by the Iranian regime. Read more…
At this afternoon’s urgent question on the Middle East, Labour MP Peter Prinsley asked the Middle East Minister about efforts to free 28-year-old Emily Damari, a British-Israeli dual national who has been held hostage in Gaza since 7 October last year. He asked: “Emily is a British citizen who, as Read more…
At today’s Prime Minister’s Questions session, Keir Starmer rejected claims that Israel’s war against Hamas constitutes a genocide. In response to a question from an independent MP, the PM said that he is “well aware of the definition of genocide and that is why I have never described this and Read more…
Former LFI chair Dame Louise Ellman has written the below article for the Jewish Chronicle. Click here to read the original. I was an MP for over two decades so am rarely surprised by the amount of time parliament spends focused on Israel. Even I, however, was taken aback by the degree to which Read more…
Today, Labour Friends of Israel publishes UK-Israel Aerial Defence Collaboration: Towards a British Iron Shield, a policy briefing on the lessons Britain can learn from Israel on aerial defence to protect civilians and infrastructure against missile attacks. Since its creation in 1948, Israel has lived under the constant threat of Read more…