More meaningless words about Gaza from Starmer’s Labour
JVL Introduction
The UK government can no longer deny that support for Israel’s war on Palestine is dwindling, even in Parliament, and yet it remains steadfast in adopting a pose of feigned impotence. Nothing can be done to rein in the West’s genocidal ally trashing every tenet of international and humanitarian law. But the power of the state can be deployed to crack down on young people peacefully protesting the slaughter of children and destruction of the planet.
This Morning Star editorial slices through the cowardice and hypocrisy of Starmer, Lammy and their crew, leading to the inevitable conclusion – solidarity with Palestinians fighting for their lives and liberties is essential if we are to protect our own.
NWI
This article was originally published by Morning Star on Tue 8 Apr 2025. Read the original here.
Editorial: Starmer must change Gaza policy, not just words
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Tory governments and Starmer’s government have consistently and determinedly ignored the public’s deep-seated anger over their support for Israel’s genocidal “war”.
When those nominally the “servants of the people” refuse to listen and actively seek to silence the public, they tear apart the “contract” between us. The government loses its popular mandate.
We’re already at the stage when principled protesters believe the only form of dissent that will work is mass civil disobedience. Currently this civil disobedience is non-violent and is carefully restrained to prevent significant harm to anyone. What happens if government still refuses to change track as the majority of the public insist they do?
You can’t stop decent people doing whatever they can to make their “democratic” government stop mass murder unless you resort to a reign of terror neither the UK police nor its law courts will (currently) allow. Unfortunately the UK’s current laws mean these same decent people risk imprisonment unless the judges and juries refuse to convict them.
At the same time, a public in revolt are rarely able to replace ministers and policies they now reject with those they prefer.
Perhaps the dire results of the local elections in May will force Starmer’s resignation and a change in foreign policy?
Have just watched Andrew Feinstein (9th April) on DoubleDownNews. He speaks of a ‘post-truth world’; in reference to people’s/countries continued support for Israel – no matter what it does.
Recently in Parliament, David Lammy slipped out that Israel’s current blockade of Gaza is in breach of international law. Then came the Government’s corrective statement of Israel merely being ‘at clear risk of’ breaching international humanitarian law. So no change in policy yet necessary.
What a twisted use of the notion of risk! To cover their own inaction. To so belittle Palestinians in Gaza being starved of the means to life is appalling to see. And from a Labour Government not so much ignoring the truth, as battling hard to stay in the true, despite all the evidence on the ground. A battle they’re surely losing. Because to seriously send out the public message that Israel’s ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza still only “risks” teetering off from it’s rightful defence against Hamas – is no credible answer to those who say Israel is committing genocide.
I don’t know how well Tzipin Livni is sleeping in her bed but it is Tzipi Hotoveli who is their Ambassador in London!
I almost wish I was still in the LP…so I could resign in shame!
Time for the hundreds of thousands of socialists of all hues to come together in a United Popular Front to coordinate opposition across the board to this government at war with its own people