Today, the UK Labour Party conference in Brighton voted overwhelmingly for Palestinian rights, condemning Israel as an apartheid state and supporting “effective measure, including sanctions” to end its “ongoing Nakba” and violations of those rights.
The Labour Party, the largest in the UK and one of the largest in Europe voted specifically to “adhere to an ethical policy on all UK trade with Israel, including stopping any arms trade used to violate Palestinian human rights and trade with illegal Israeli settlements.” It called for sanctions against Israel to ensure that it ends its occupation, siege of Gaza and illegal settlements, dismantles its wall, “reverses any annexation,” and respects the right of Palestinian refugees “to return to their homes,” as enshrined in international law.
Referring to reports by Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem condemning Israel as an apartheid state, the Labour Conference welcomed the International Criminal Court’s decision to investigate human rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territory.
A recent YouGov poll shows that Israel's favourability dropped sharply among the European public, particularly in the UK, despite all efforts by the right-wing government to bolster UK complicity in Israeli settler-colonialism and apartheid. A survey of the Labour Party membership also revealed that 61% support BDS in support of Palestinian liberation.
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the largest coalition in Palestinian society that leads the global BDS movement, warmly welcomed this overwhelming support for Palestinian rights and for dismantling Israeli apartheid. This effective solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality is particularly inspiring at a time of heightened anti-Palestinian racism, repression and McCarthyism in the UK, including in the Labour Party leadership.
Palestinians salute the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the UK trade unions affiliated with it for their principled, unwavering support for Palestinian rights.
Read the successful UK Labour motion on Palestine below:
Conference condemns the ongoing Nakba in Palestine, Israel’s militarised violence attacking the Al Aqsa mosque, the forced displacements from Sheikh Jarrah and the deadly assault on Gaza.
Together with the de facto annexation of Palestinian land by accelerated settlement building and statements of Israel’s intention to proceed with annexation, it is ever more apparent that Israel is intent on eliminating any prospects of Palestinian self-determination.
Conference notes the TUC 2020 Congress motion describing such settlement building and annexation as ‘another significant step’ towards the UN Crime of Apartheid and calling on the European and international trade union movement to join the global campaign to stop annexation and end apartheid.
Conference also notes the unequivocal 2021 reports by B'Tselem and Human Rights Watch that conclude Israel is practising the crime of apartheid as defined by the UN.
Conference welcomes the International Criminal Court's decision to hold an inquiry into abuses committed in the occupied Palestinian Territory since 2014.
Conference resolves that action is needed now due to Israel’s continuing illegal actions and that Labour should adhere to an ethical policy on all UK trade with Israel, including stopping any arms trade used to violate Palestinian human rights and trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
Conference resolves to support “effective measures”, including sanctions, as called for by Palestinian civil society, against actions by the Israeli government that are illegal according to international law; in particular, to ensure that Israel stops the building of settlements, reverses any annexation, ends the occupation of the West Bank, the blockade of Gaza, brings down the Wall and respects the right of the Palestinian people, as enshrined in international law, to return to their homes.
Conference resolves that the Labour Party must stand on the right side of history and abide by these resolutions in its policy, communications and political strategy.