Slough Lib Dems and Ed Davey continue to push Labour Government to do more to try to end Israel's relentless attacks on Palestinians

Lib Dem Leader, Sir Ed Davey, used his final slot at Prime Minister's Question Time before the summer break to press Labour Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to do more to try to stop the relentless Israeli attacks on Palestinians, both in Gaza and in the West Bank. 

Some Slough Lib Dems recently met Sir Ed Davey. On the photo (left to right) are Cllr Sabia Akram, Leader of the Slough Lib Dem Group of councillors, Imaan Hussain, Cllr Waqas Sabah, Sir Ed Davey and Cllr Mohammed Nazir, former Mayor of Slough. Slough Lib Dems are determined to do all we can to help the campaign for more action to save the lives of Palestinian children and adults.

For example, at the next Executive meeting of Slough lib Dems the following comprehensive motion will be debated: 

The future for Palestine and Israel

Slough Liberal Democrats believe that unless a two-state (Israel – Palestine) solution is secured soon that option will become impossible to deliver. Blocks to a just resolution for both peoples must be overcome. The UK government must urgently move beyond statements and gestures.

We support the strong policy positions adopted previously by the Liberal Democrats nationally, specifically:

1.        The Autumn 2021 Federal Conference motion F39, Towards a Lasting Peace, and the Autumn 2024 Federal Conference motion F32, The Israel-Gaza Conflict - an immediate bilateral ceasefire and securing two states.   

2.        The Liberal Democrats’ wholehearted support for universal liberal principles of human rights, democracy, international law, and the self-determination of peoples.

Slough Lib Dems note:

I.        The failure to justly resolve the Israel-Palestine question fuels extremism, violence and instability throughout the region and beyond.

II.        Israeli and Palestinian civilians are the victims of this impasse, as demonstrated so cruelly by the murderous violence of both the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and the Hamas attacks of 7th October 2023.

III.        The Palestinian people still have neither freedom, democracy, nor dignity. They have endured horrific suffering over recent decades, as Israel has deepened its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, expanded settlements and engaged in forced displacements; as well as the devastation caused by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since October 2023 and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

IV.        That Israel violated the ceasefire by resuming military operations in March 2025 and renewed its killing of civilians, aid workers, and journalists in Gaza, and has escalated its brutal policy of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank including East Jerusalem.

V.        That Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza has caused catastrophic hunger, medical collapse and suffering, with international agencies blocked from delivering life saving supplies; that the only way is to resolve this is to allow full unimpeded access to the UN and aid agencies, and with ending of the militarised aid delivery system that was insufficient, unworkable and dangerous.

VI.        That none of this violent repression has brought lasting security to Israeli civilians from dangers posed by Palestinian and non-Palestinian militants.

VII.        That the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, whilst other Israeli Ministers have been sanctioned by the UK government. (The three Palestinians who were indicted have subsequently been killed by Israel.)

VIII.        The decision of the International Court of Justice in January 2024 ordered Israel to take immediate measures to prevent genocide, and allow in humanitarian aid. That the Israeli government ramped up its activities and its rhetoric since then, which has led some human rights experts to conclude that genocide is being committed.

Slough Lib Dems deplore:

1.        The fact that the UK and other western governments have failed to hold Israel to account and have shown complicity in Israel’s actions by continuing to supply arms and provide military support to Israel, including by providing training to Israel Defence Forces Personnel and conducting surveillance flights over Gaza.

2.        The fact that Hamas has still not released all of the hostages, so cruelly taken on 7th October 2023, and that Israel has increased by thousands the number of Palestinians it has seized from Gaza and the West Bank and unlawfully imprisoned.

3.        The fact that successive US governments have encouraged and facilitated the crimes now being conducted and have put pressure on other governments to hold back from taking meaningful steps to prevent the situation escalating.

4.        The fact that the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement remains in effect despite explicitly including respect for human rights as an “essential element” in the agreement.

Slough Lib Dems believe that:

A.        Since Israel has not done enough to comply with the ICJ’s January 2024 demands, and has been accused by respected human rights lawyers of committing genocide in the 18 months since the ruling; there is now a good case for describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as ethnic cleansing and genocidal.

B.        Only a political and diplomatic solution, not a military one, will resolve the future of the Palestinian and Jewish populations of Israel and Palestine in a way that will deliver a lasting justice and peace.

C.        Regardless of the long-term outcome, the United Kingdom must respect the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to full citizenship, democracy and self-determination.

D.        Hamas must release the remaining hostages held in Gaza, as part of a long term ceasefire agreement that ends all military operations on a permanent basis.

E.        The release of hostages by Hamas must be accompanied by release of the nearly 10,000 Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli jails who have not received a fair – or any – trial, in violation of international legal standards. 

F.        Locally, Berkshire Pension Fund should speed up the production of the Responsible Investment Policy reported to be in development at the Fund’s meeting in June 2025, but requested by Slough Borough Council and others over one year earlier.

G.      As soon as it can be legally done without financial penalty, Slough Borough Council should end its contract with BCG (Boston Consulting Group) to assist the council with its recovery programme. If necessary, an alternative supplier should be sought given that BCG are heavily involved with Israel’s resettlement of Gazans in a northern compound as well as recent horrific aid distribution programme.

Slough Liberal Democrats call on the UK Government to:                                                                                           

1.        Work to bring about a durable ceasefire and an immediate end to Israel’s atrocities in Gaza, including by demanding: 

a.        The release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and all Palestinian prisoners unlawfully detained by the Israeli authorities.

b.        The total and permanent cessation of Israeli military operations in Gaza.

c.        The unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid through a UN-led corridor, replacing the failed and dangerous US-Israel aid distribution plan.

2.        Ensure respect in full for the provisional measures the ICJ ordered in January 2024; respect the July 2024 ICJ advisory opinion on the unlawfulness Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, and accordingly: 

a.        Introduce legislation to ban all trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

b.        Sanction any representatives or employees of the Government of Israel supporting or enacting illegal acts proposed or promoted by ministers who have already been sanctioned.

c.        Immediately suspend the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement.

d.        Cease all military and security cooperation with Israel until it brings itself in line with international law. Ban UK citizens from serving in the Israeli military.

e.        Prosecute British citizens for whom there is credible evidence of their having committed war crimes in Israel/Palestine.

3.        Make all possible efforts to ensure that as a State Party to the Rome Statute, the UK upholds its obligations, by arresting individuals who are subject to arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and mobilise other European countries to ensure that international arrest warrants are enforced against individuals entering their territory.

4.        Press for a just and lasting resolution, including by: 

a.        Immediately recognising the state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with a UK Embassy in East Jerusalem.

b.        Working to establish an international peace process with mediation carried out by independent third parties under the supervision of the UN Secretary General.

c.        Working with the international community to facilitate free political activity in Palestine, advocate for the release of potential candidates currently held in Israeli detention and enabling future democratic leaders of Palestine to come forward.

d.        Encouraging the Palestinian Authority to facilitate elections among Palestinians as soon as possible including in occupied East Jerusalem, using every available pressure to ensure that the Israeli government does not obstruct the process, with a view to uniting Gaza and the West Bank under one democratically elected voice.