Latest news with #MiddleEastConflict
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Starmer's historic Palestine plan is driven by weakness — not strength
Keir Starmer's announcement that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September (unless Israel meets stringent conditions) was undeniable theatre. But in the drama of the statement on Tuesday evening, there was a nagging sense that it was more performative than an act which would change things on the ground in Gaza and Israel. – and a majority of people believe he has – but the real issues are whether he has done it for the right reasons, and if it was an act of strength or weakness. The fury from Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused his British counterpart of 'rewarding Hamas's monstrous terrorism', seemed to suggest a lack of influence the UK government has collectively and Sir Keir has personally. While Labour's foreign affairs select committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry suggested that Netanyahu's reaction shows Britain does have influence, the fact is that it is quite clear that it will not shift Israeli policy one jot. But maybe that does not matter. Foreign secretary David Lammy was loudly applauded at the United Nations when he announced the intention to recognise a Palestinian state. It may not have been a complete coincidence that Arab countries including Qatar and Egypt issued a strong statement shortly afterwards, urging Hamas to disarm and give up control of Gaza. But the reality is that the last few days have underlined that only one man can influence events in the Middle East outside the participants in the ongoing war – Donald Trump. It seems highly significant that Sir Keir waited to have his meeting with Trump at Turnberry before following French president Emmanuel Macron 's lead on the recognition issue. Added to that, the decision only seemed inevitable once Trump effectively gave permission for the UK to diverge from US policy, saying he had no problem with the prospect of Sir Keir taking a position on Palestinian statehood. But in terms of money, weapons supply and political clout, it requires America to tell Israel to stop starving Palestinians and to force a ceasefire. While Trump has said he wants to stop the hunger, his appetite to force a ceasefire is still in question. Meanwhile, Sir Keir has tried to counterbalance the US power with the new E3 group - Britain, France and Germany. This latest intervention came as a result of his E3 talks on Friday and Saturday. The group's creation is viewed by some as a recognition in itself that the EU has lost some diplomatic clout as a result of Brexit and Europe's three biggest powers needed to team up again. The biggest problem he has is that whether it is Netanyahu, German chancellor Friedrich Merz or Trump, every international leader knows that Tuesday evening's theatre was more about domestic politics for Sir Keir. Factions within his cabinet and the wider Labour party, growing political pressure from the trade unions and MPs has forced his hand on Palestine to appease the domestic situation. But perhaps most of all, the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn's new party also genuinely spooked Sir Keir and his top team. Former Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth was among those who were ousted by pro-Gaza independent MPs last year, with health secretary Wes Streeting and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood coming dangerously close to losing their seats. By coming out strongly against Israel's actions in Gaza, Sir Keir will be hoping to secure the votes of wavering voters who may have been tempted to back Corbyn's new pro-Gaza party. So there is a sense that while Sir Keir has shown leadership and probably come to the right conclusion, however, the reasons that he has done so are more about weakness at home rather than strength on the international stage.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Freed hostage Emily Damari accuses Starmer of being on wrong side of history
A British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year has said Sir Keir Starmer is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his pledge to recognise a Palestinian state. Emily Damari accused the Prime Minister of 'moral failure' over the move. Sir Keir announced on Tuesday that the UK could take the step of recognising statehood in September, ahead of a major UN gathering. The UK will refrain from doing so only if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire, and signs up to a long-term peace process over the next two months. The move has been criticised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed it 'rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism'. Ms Damari, who was released from Hamas captivity in January, said in a post on Instagram on Wednesday: 'Prime Minister Starmer is not standing on the right side of history. Had he been in power during World War II, would he have advocated recognition for Nazi control of occupied countries like Holland, France or Poland? 'This is not diplomacy — it is a moral failure. Shame on you, Prime Minister. 'As a dual British-Israeli citizen who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, I am deeply saddened by Prime Minister Starmer's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. This move does not advance peace — it risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy. 'By legitimising a state entity while Hamas still controls Gaza and continues its campaign of terror, the Prime Minister is not promoting a solution; he is prolonging the conflict. Recognition under these conditions emboldens extremists and undermines any hope for genuine peace. Shame on you!!!' In a statement from Downing Street on Tuesday after an urgent Cabinet meeting on Gaza, Sir Keir said the UK's 'message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged but unequivocal: they must immediately release all of the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm, and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza'.
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Freed hostage Emily Damari accuses Starmer of being on wrong side of history
A British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year has said Sir Keir Starmer is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his pledge to recognise a Palestinian state. Emily Damari accused the Prime Minister of 'moral failure' over the move. Sir Keir announced on Tuesday that the UK could take the step of recognising statehood in September, ahead of a major UN gathering. The UK will refrain from doing so only if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire, and signs up to a long-term peace process over the next two months. The move has been criticised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed it 'rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism'. Ms Damari, who was released from Hamas captivity in January, said in a post on Instagram on Wednesday: 'Prime Minister Starmer is not standing on the right side of history. Had he been in power during World War II, would he have advocated recognition for Nazi control of occupied countries like Holland, France or Poland? 'This is not diplomacy — it is a moral failure. Shame on you, Prime Minister. 'As a dual British-Israeli citizen who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, I am deeply saddened by Prime Minister Starmer's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. This move does not advance peace — it risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy. 'By legitimising a state entity while Hamas still controls Gaza and continues its campaign of terror, the Prime Minister is not promoting a solution; he is prolonging the conflict. Recognition under these conditions emboldens extremists and undermines any hope for genuine peace. Shame on you!!!' In a statement from Downing Street on Tuesday after an urgent Cabinet meeting on Gaza, Sir Keir said the UK's 'message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged but unequivocal: they must immediately release all of the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm, and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza'.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bob Vylan Frontman Slams Politicians And Mainstream Media's Stark U-Turn On Gaza
The frontman of the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan has admitted that seeing certain politicians' stance on the conflict in the Middle East change has left him feeling 'like I've truly gone crazy'. Last month, Bob Vylan delivered one of the most talked-about sets at this year's Glastonbury festival, where they made headlines after leading the crowd in chants of 'free Palestine' and 'death to the IDF', referring to Israel's army. At the time, the group faced condemnation from Glastonbury's organisers, the BBC – who broadcast the set live on its iPlayer service – and prime minister Keir Starmer. Meanwhile, local police said shortly afterwards that they were opening a criminal investigation based on both Bob Vylan and Kneecap's Glastonbury sets, though this has since been confirmed to have been dropped. In the last few weeks, after more photos and news from Gaza have become further shared on social media and in the mainstream media, many have taken a firmer stance against Israel and in solidarity with Palestine. This includes Starmer himself, who issued a statement on Thursday taking issue with the 'suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza', which he described as 'unspeakable and indefensible'. The suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 24, 2025 Posting on X on Monday morning, musician Bobby Vylan wrote: 'Watching politicians and mainstream media suddenly change their rhetoric on the genocide makes me feel like I've truly gone crazy. 'Can someone please confirm that a few weeks ago they villainised us on the front pages for being against this while they were very much pro-genocide?' He added: 'I beg, we must never let them forget the stance they took and the damage they could have prevented, the lives they could have saved. We have to remind them every time they cross our path.' Watching politicians and mainstream media suddenly change their rhetoric on the genocide makes me feel like I've truly gone crazy. Can someone please confirm that a few weeks ago they villainized us on the front pages for being against this while they were very much pro-genocide. — Bob Vylan (@BobbyVylan) July 28, 2025 I beg, we must never let them forget the stance they took and the damage they could have prevented, the lives they could have saved. We have to remind them every time they cross our path. — Bob Vylan (@BobbyVylan) July 28, 2025 Reacting to the media furore surrounding their Glastonbury set last month, Bob Vylan members Bobby and Bobbie Vylan insisted in a joint statement: 'We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use 'unnecessary lethal force' against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.' 'The government doesn't want us to ask why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity. To ask why they aren't doing more to stop the killing. To feed the starving,' the pair continued. 'The more they talk about Bob Vylan, the less they spend answering for their criminal inaction.' READ MORE: 'We Are Not The Story': Bob Vylan Speak Out After Glastonbury Set Sparks Criminal Investigation Bob Vylan Share Defiant Message At First Live Show Since Glastonbury Controversy BBC Announces Immediate Changes After Glastonbury Controversy
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
The Best Way to Win the War in Gaza Is to End It
For 22 months, since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted it's too soon to discuss Gaza's future. One can debate the merits of his position (and his motivations). For the sake of Israel's long-term security, however, the time has come to change course. Thanks in no small part to the prime minister's decisions — along with the skill of Israeli spies and fighter pilots, and crucial help from the US — Israel enjoys a stronger position in its neighborhood than it has in decades, or perhaps ever. Its enemies have been routed: Hamas is a shell of its former self; Hezbollah has been decapitated and stripped of much of its missile arsenal. Most important, Iran has been humbled, suffering devastating damage to its nuclear facilities, military leadership, ballistic-missile forces and air defenses after 12 days of Israeli and US airstrikes. Neighbors from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon and Syria have indicated varying degrees of interest in healthier relations with the Jewish state.
