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‘Rhetoric differs’: How the UK’s relationship with Israel took a downturn

From Al Jazeera · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources New plan
  • The United Kingdom is expected to announce trade restrictions on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, signaling another deterioration in UK-Israeli relations.
  • Labour governments have suspended some arms-export licences and increasingly condemned Israeli military and settler conduct, while Britain maintains diplomatic ties and supplies F-35 parts through a global programme.
  • Analysts say the shift in rhetoric has not yet produced a fundamental change in Israel’s relations with Britain, as violence continues in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Britain is preparing to restrict trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, adding to signs that its relationship with Israel has entered another downturn.

has the right

· Keir StarmerHis 2024 election campaign comment about Israel withholding power and water from Gaza, which he later qualified.

The United Kingdom remains one of Israel’s strongest Western allies. It still maintains diplomatic relations and supplies F-35 parts through the global pool programme accessible to Israel. But since Labour returned to power after more than a decade in opposition, the government has suspended some arms-export licences and more regularly condemned the conduct of the Israeli military and settlers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s position has also shifted. During the campaign for the 2024 general election, he said Israel “has the right” to withhold power and water from Gaza in an interview with LBC. The comment provoked anger, and he later said he believed Israel had a right to “self-defence”. In May 2025, Starmer wrote that he “strongly” opposed the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza in a joint letter with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

self-defence

· Keir StarmerHis later characterization of Israel’s right after criticism of his earlier remarks.

Last week, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told the House of Commons that he would outline measures to prevent British involvement in projects such as the E1 settlement in the occupied Palestinian territory. The announcement came as violence against Palestinians increased in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

strongly

· Keir StarmerHis description of opposition to the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza in a 2025 joint letter.

“Obviously, the rhetoric differs between them [UK prime ministers], but materially, the Israeli regime operates just as it did, irrespective of whether Andy Burnham or [former Conservative Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak was at the helm,” said Zena Agha, a policy analyst with the British Palestinian Committee. “We’re seeing more of a continuation versus a rupture.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mocked Britain, recently calling it the “Islamic Republic of Britain” while criticizing UK media coverage of Israel.

Obviously, the rhetoric differs between them [UK prime ministers], but materially, the Israeli regime operates just as it did, irrespective of whether Andy Burnham or [former Conservative Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak was at the helm. We’re seeing more of a continuation versus a rupture.

· Zena AghaThe British Palestinian Committee analyst assessed the difference between UK governments’ rhetoric and policy.
About this summary

Originally published by Al Jazeera. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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