Ed Miliband to acknowledge Labour’s former stance on Palestine fell short
Foreign secretary will tell party’s conference ‘we are not here to accept the status quo but to change it’
TL;DR
- Ed Miliband will tell Labour campaigners and members that the party's prior stance on Palestinian issues was inadequate.
- The government will impose sanctions on Israeli settlements, with Miliband stating "we hear you, you were right."
- This marks a fundamental change in Labour's approach to foreign policy, becoming more progressive and 'muscular'.
- The UK will ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements and disrupt their financial and service supply lines.
- Miliband will condemn settler violence in the West Bank, evidence of war crimes in Gaza, and Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine.
- The new policy aims to prevent the destruction of the two-state solution.
- Miliband will pay tribute to campaigners, potentially raising questions about the proscription of Palestine Action.
- Cooperation with countries like France and Canada on sanctions signals a new bond with 'like-minded countries', potentially sidelining the US.
- Britain's interests are served by standing up for values, and the ability to build coalitions depends on bringing countries along.