Labour Party members are urging Keir Starmer to acknowledge that Israel is engaging in genocide in Gaza. A Unison-led emergency motion, supported by delegates, called for a complete halt to arms sales to Israel and for the government to recognize the UN report’s conclusion that Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration is perpetrating genocide.
Christina McAnea, General Secretary of the union, passionately implored the party to acknowledge the situation, emphasizing the tragic events of October 7, 2023. She highlighted the distressing conditions in Gaza, with thousands of Palestinian casualties and ongoing suffering, famine, and devastation, labeling it as genocide without mincing words.
McAnea stressed the urgency of the matter, stating that waiting for legal confirmation would be too late as the atrocities are already unfolding. She emphasized the need for immediate intervention to prevent further loss of innocent lives and avert famine, calling on the Labour Party and trade unions to take action based on their history of advocating for peace in the region.
The non-binding emergency motion, passed by a show of hands, called on the UK Government to utilize all available means to prevent genocide in Gaza, suspend arms trading with Israel, and halt the UK-Israel trade agreement. It also demanded an end to trade with illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy echoed the call for government action to prevent genocide.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry previously declared on September 16 that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.