Following the general elections held in the UK on July 4, the new Labour-led government’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and Israel’s attacks on Gaza attracted attention. Unlike former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, while Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to Israel and Palestine was considered an important step.
Experts assessed the UK’s financial support for UNRWA and the changing Gaza policy. Professor Neve Gordon noted that Lammy had shown a keen interest in the region’s issues and that at least some policies may differ from the previous government. She stressed that the decision to continue financial support for UNRWA was particularly important.
- Israeli professor Neve Gordon, who teaches International Law and Human Rights at Queen Mary University in London, pointed out that Lammy’s visits to Palestine and Israel were closely related to regional issues.
- He said that the UK’s financial support to UNRWA was an important step towards alleviating the threat of famine and the risk of infrastructure collapse in Gaza.
| Expert Opinions | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Experts evaluated Britain’s decision on UNRWA and its new, different Gaza policy to AA correspondent. | It is anticipated that the new government will take a different stance on Gaza than the Conservative Party. |
| It was stated that the UK’s financial support to UNRWA could reduce the negative effects in the region. | Continuing UNRWA funding could prevent turmoil in the region. |
Joseph Willits, Head of Parliamentary Affairs at the Arab-British Treaty Council, said the UK’s financial support for UNRWA showed that it took the situation in Gaza seriously and that it needed to be protected against threats from Israel. He also said that the UK should support the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
- Willits said the UK must take concrete action on Gaza and called on Israel to be held accountable for its actions in Gaza.
- He said the UK should support the decisions of the ICJ and ICC and provide support for justice and accountability for the Palestinians.
