The British Labor Party on Monday voted in favor of a motion identifying Israel as a state practicing the crime of apartheid and committing the party leadership to implementing sanctions against it including ceasing UK-Israel arms trade and trade with illegal Jewish settlements.
“Conference condemns the ongoing Nakba in Palestine Israel’s militarized violence attacking the Aqsa Mosque the forced displacements from Sheikh Jarrah and the deadly assault on Gaza” according to the motion which was passed on the third day of the annual Labor conference held in Brighton southern England.
The motion cited reports by Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem which earlier in the year accused Israel of practicing the crime of apartheid as defined by the UN. The two reports highlighted how Israel’s systematic oppression of the Palestinian people amounted to the crime of apartheid.
Their reports echoed relevant findings published by UN and prominent experts on international law as well as two former Israeli ambassadors.
Labor members also welcomed the International Criminal Court’s decision to hold an inquiry into abuses committed in the occupied Palestinian territory.
“Conference resolves that action is needed now due to Israel’s continuing illegal actions and that Labor 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.”
The motion continued stressing in particular the need 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.”
It urged the Labor Party to “stand on the right side of history and abide by these resolutions in its policy communications and political strategy.”
