Britain: Israeli occupation is illegal, and the suffering of Palestinians is a stain on the face of the world

London – Agencies: The British government has announced, in a historic and unprecedented shift, that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and illegitimate. The British announcement came in an article by Prime Minister Andy Burnham published yesterday in The Guardian, in which he described the suffering of Palestinians as “a stain on the world’s conscience,” while announcing a new package of measures targeting the policies of the Israeli government. These include a ban on trade in goods coming from illegal settlements in Palestinian territories and the imposition of sanctions on individuals and companies that support, facilitate, or benefit from these settlements.

Burnham stated in his article, “We have officially changed the British government’s position to say for the first time that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegitimate, regardless of the International Court of Justice’s decision, but in line with it.” He added, “Before I became Prime Minister, I said that our country’s response was far too slow and insufficient. For this reason, I committed to changing the government’s approach.”

He noted that the call for a two-state solution had long been Britain’s position, but this call “remains abstract and meaningless unless we back it with concrete actions.” He pointed out that Britain had hesitated for a long time to take action for fear of being accused of anti-Semitism, before deciding to take “careful and targeted steps” aimed at the policies of the current Israeli government, not the Israeli people.

The British Prime Minister affirmed that the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip continues, with ongoing casualties, including children, and the entry of extremely limited amounts of humanitarian aid. He said, “It is hard to grasp the scale of the destruction... more than 70,000 victims, including at least 20,000 children. Families and communities have been torn apart. Millions have been displaced. And now, Gaza’s residents are confined to only a third of the territory... I know that people across the United Kingdom feel deeply about this issue, and I do too.”

Regarding settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, Burnham said, “Approval for new settlements during the four years this Israeli government has been in power exceeds what was approved in the previous twenty years. The United Nations has recorded more than 1,500 incidents of violence committed by settlers so far this year, aimed at expelling Palestinians, and the situation is deteriorating rapidly.”

The British Prime Minister announced three main steps to pressure the Israeli government: banning trade in goods coming from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories; changing the British government’s official position and declaring, for the first time, that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal; and imposing sanctions on individuals and companies that support, facilitate, or profit from settlements, including those involved in building the “E1” project.

Alongside these political and economic measures, the British Prime Minister announced a new package of humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that his country is taking these steps “because it is the right thing to do.” He concluded by affirming that British measures aim to protect the two-state solution as the only path enabling the Palestinian and Israeli peoples to live side by side in peace and security, stressing that his government will continue working with partners worldwide to preserve the chances of achieving this goal.