The war between Israel and Hamas poses a challenge to Britain
The war between Israel and Hamas poses a challenge to Britain: Britain’s immediate reaction to the massacre and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers and civilians by Hamas was characterized by a sense of horror and a rush to provide rapid support.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insisted that “terrorism will not win,” and that “Israel has the absolute right to defend itself and deter further incursions.”
For his part, Labor Party leader Keir Starmer expressed “shock and dismay at the current events in Israel.” He added, “These actions by Hamas do not provide anything for the Palestinian people, and Israel must always have the right to defend its people.” Starmer is widely seen as the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, due to his significant lead in public opinion polls.
However, beyond these direct offers of support, the conflict represents a challenge for British politicians; At the international level, the UK government has drawn closer to Israel in recent years.
But at the same time Britain’s ability to influence its ally and the broader conflict with the Palestinians has greatly diminished. With the limited options available to Britain abroad, the conflict became more influential internally.
Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism related to current events in the Middle East is on the rise, as clashes take place between the authorities and large pro-Palestinian groups, and these activists protest Israeli reprisals in Gaza.
The dilemma for both the ruling Conservatives and the opposition Labor Party is how to manage instinctive support for Israel and potential internal tensions, while hoping to gain a degree of international prominence in the conflict.
Support for Israel and the peace process
Britain, of course, has a long relationship with both Israel and the Palestinians. It is known that London issued the famous Balfour Declaration in 1917, and assumed the mandate for Palestine, which paved the way for the development of Israel.
During the Cold War, Britain put aside its previous hostility towards Israel, which had arisen from the terrorist campaign that led to Britain’s withdrawal from Palestine in 1948, and the two countries became loyal allies.
In line with other Western countries, in the 1990s Britain adopted the “two-state solution”, which was proposed by the Oslo Peace Accords and which it has consistently supported.
Tony Blair’s term as Prime Minister
British participation came at its peak during Tony Blair’s term as Prime Minister when he succeeded in convincing US President George W.
Bush to revive the faltering peace process. However, Bush’s “road map for peace” faced obstacles similar to those faced by the Oslo Accords.
Although Blair himself later assumed the role of special envoy to the Quartet for the Middle East (which includes the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, and Russia), the direct role that Britain played in the process remained relatively limited.
17 British citizens were killed or went missing during and after the Hamas attacks, and there are fears that this number may rise, as it is currently estimated that there are more than 60,000 British citizens in Israel or the Gaza Strip.
Aid to the Palestinian Authority
Since then, Britain’s involvement has declined. But it still provides aid to the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Strip.
For example, Britain pledged to provide £38 million in aid to support economic activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the period from 2018 to 2023.
And sent an additional £20 million to the Palestinian Authority to help pay the wages of health and education workers.
It went so far as to intervene, providing additional funding worth 7 million pounds to help cover the deficit when US President Donald Trump stopped Washington’s contribution to UNRWA, which pays for vital services in the occupied territories.
But alongside its aid to the Palestinians, London has become closer to Israel in recent years. Trade has increased, especially in the technology sector, as Israel currently represents the fifth largest export destination for British goods and services in the Middle East.
As the ruling Conservative Party shifted to the right after the Brexit referendum, many of its prominent figures urged more support for Israel.
Home Secretary
Priti Patel, who served as Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022, was a well-known advocate, having been forced to resign from a previous ministerial position following a secret trip to Israel.
Likewise, during her short stint as Prime Minister in 2022, Liz Terrace wanted to move the UK embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, mimicking Donald Trump step by step, which would have effectively signaled UK support for Israel’s illegal annexation of East Jerusalem.
In 2019, the UK designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, something Israel has long pushed for.
AFPDemonstrators, carrying signs reading messages in support of the Palestinians, take part in a protest outside the Prime Minister’s Office in London, on October 18, 2023.
Many pro-Palestinian activists do not consider themselves anti-Semites, and members of the Jewish community in Britain have viewed some of their actions as a threat to Jews.
Conservatives were not friends with Israel without criticizing it. For example, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemned Trump’s recognition of Israel’s illegal annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights in 2019, while Britain urged the protection of civilians during previous Israeli attacks on Gaza. The war between Israel and Hamas poses a challenge to Britain
The UK has historically been supportive of Israel for a long time, but today’s conflict has erupted under the leadership of a government that is more pro-Israel than its predecessors.
It is noteworthy that one of the first measures taken by Rishi Sunak after the outbreak of the conflict was to provide military, intelligence and security support to Israel.
This may seem a strange proposition given that Israel does not lack any of these elements, and can also rely on US resources that are far greater than everyone else’s capabilities, but in the post-Brexit world, security and military resources are among the few tools with which The United Kingdom can provide it, after losing significant economic and diplomatic weight following its exit from the European Union.
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Israel may accept these offers
Israel may accept these offers, but as a sign of its friendship with Britain, not as a sign of a deficiency or need that it cannot obtain elsewhere. Since then, Sunak has also offered to provide military support to Egypt to help keep the Rafah border crossing open for humanitarian aid following the bombing of the Gaza Strip, and has again relied on security offers due to the lack of other options.
There has long been tension over anti-Israel protests and anti-Semitism. Some insist that protesting against Israel is anti-Semitism, because Israel is the only Jewish state in the world.
On the other hand, their opponents believe that there is a difference between criticizing the State of Israel and targeting Jews in general.
However, while many pro-Palestinian activists do not consider themselves anti-Semites, members of the British Jewish community have viewed some of their actions as a threat to Jews.
An example of this is writing the slogan “Free Palestine” on walls in areas of London with dense Jewish populations.
The Community Security Foundation
The Community Security Foundation (CST) noted that some “use the symbols and language of pro-Palestinian politics as rhetorical weapons to threaten and abuse the Jewish people.”
Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman expressed concerns about anti-Semitism and suggested UK police should consider adopting tougher measures.
It mentioned the prohibition of some behaviors that may be considered legitimate in some circumstances, when they are intended to glorify terrorist acts, such as waving the Palestinian flag.
Braverman also stressed that it is unacceptable to drive through Jewish neighborhoods or target members of the Jewish public with aggressive chants or waving pro-Palestinian symbols.
AFPBritish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons in London, October 18, 2023.
The statements raised concerns among pro-Palestinian and free speech activists, with some fearing that Braverman, known for her strong support of Israel, was actively calling for a ban on the Palestinian flag. In response, the police made it clear that they would not automatically equate support for the Palestinian cause with support for Hamas.
She stated that “any religiously motivated abuse or intimidation will not be tolerated, and promised that officers would take action when necessary.”
The conflict represents a challenge for British politicians; At the international level, the UK government has drawn closer to Israel in recent years, but at the same time Britain’s ability to influence its ally and the broader conflict with the Palestinians has greatly diminished.
Balanced worker behavior
Labor faces a difficult balancing act in responding to the ongoing conflict. Under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, a staunch supporter of the Palestinians, the party has been plagued by accusations of anti-Semitism, leading to the departure of many Jewish members and many MPs. The war between Israel and Hamas poses a challenge to Britain
Keir Starmer
Since becoming party leader, Keir Starmer has been working hard to rehabilitate the party, launching internal investigations into anti-Semitism and expelling some members, including Corbyn himself.
It was not surprising that Starmer began his keynote speech at the Labor conference by expressing his support for Israel, in a clear departure from the Corbyn tradition, although it is in keeping with the broader tradition of the Labor Party, which has historically maintained a close relationship with Israel due to shared ideological connections with the founders of Zionism. Socialism in Israel.
The war between Israel and Hamas poses a challenge to Britain
However, Starmer faces a delicate balancing act. On the one hand, his outspoken support for Israel’s right to self-defense aims to show British Jews, Israel supporters and the general public that he is a different leader from Corbyn, distancing himself from the debate over anti-Semitism and instinctive left-wing support for Palestinians, and recognizing the need to maintain the support of a dedicated group of pro-Israel activists. Within the Labor Party and the wider electorate.
At the same time, there is a committed group of pro-Palestinian supporters, and Starmer must not alienate them if he hopes to win power.
Muslim Labor Network (LMN)
For example, the Muslim Labor Network (LMN), made up of members of the British Muslim Labor Party, criticized Starmer’s statement that Israel has NO “right” to cut off power and water supplies to Gaza, asserting that such actions constitute “collective punishment,” which is Illegal. Under international law.
As the conflict continues, Starmer may face further challenges from some members of his party and supporters, especially if expected Israeli reprisals in Gaza lead to significant casualties.
Given Britain’s limited international influence, both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak recognize that the UK is unlikely to have much influence on the course of the conflict.
Their contributions are likely to include expressing support, issuing condemnations, and calling for de-escalation within the broader international community. In addition, the UK provides assistance to current conflict-related security and aid operations.
The direct and tangible consequences of the conflict are likely to be felt within British society. In this context, the primary focus will be on the protection and evacuation of British nationals who may find themselves caught up in the conflict.
Furthermore, there will be efforts to minimize any negative impacts or repercussions within British society resulting from the ongoing conflict. This could include addressing concerns about security, public sentiment and community relations in the UK
I’m Hassan Saeed, a Clinical Psychology graduate deeply engaged in the realms of WordPress, blogging, and technology. I enjoy merging my psychological background with the digital landscape. Let’s connect and explore these exciting intersections!
