Britain's new Jewish foreign secretary has a history of supporting and disagreeing with UK Jews

Ed Miliband, Britain's newly appointed foreign secretary, pledged to honor the memory of his Holocaust refugee parents, stating that Britain represented a "sanctuary and a beacon of hope" for them. His appointment marks a significant moment, positioning him as the highest-ranking Jewish official in the British government.

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My parents came to Britain as Jewish refugees from the Nazis. To them, Britain was both a sanctuary and a beacon of hope in the global fight against fascism. I will carry my parents’ faith in that spirit of Britain to my role representing our country.

Miliband's political career includes leading the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015. He has consistently spoken out against antisemitism, including within his own party. However, his stance on Israel has sometimes caused friction with British Jewish groups. In 2014, he supported a symbolic vote to recognize a Palestinian state and criticized the civilian casualties during Israel's Gaza operations.

"I defend Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks," Miliband stated at the time, "But I cannot explain, justify or defend the horrifying deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, including children and innocent civilians." Despite this, he affirmed his Jewish identity and support for Israel as the "homeland for the Jewish people," stating he had "no issue with people calling me a Zionist."

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I defend Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks. But I cannot explain, justify or defend the horrifying deaths of hundreds of Palestinians, including children and innocent civilians.

The foreign secretary's office faces immediate challenges, including the potential for Britain to ban imports from West Bank settlements and addressing a rise in anti-Israel and anti-Jewish incidents, which authorities attribute to foreign actors. Miliband's mother, Marion Kozak, was an early supporter of Jews for Justice for Palestinians but ceased public activism as her sons rose in politics. His brother, David Miliband, now heads the International Rescue Committee, also citing their parents' refugee experience as a formative influence.

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I am proud to be Jewish. I’ve no issue with people calling me a Zionist. I described Israel as “the homeland for the Jewish people.”