UK politics live: Miliband accuses Israel of ‘turning a blind eye’ to ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank

The foreign secretary has told MPs that the UK government agree that Israeli settlers are committing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

He pointed out that while the UK has “unshakeable bonds” with the people of Israel, their argument was with the conduct of its government. He noted that in the last four years, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu had approved more settlements in the West Bank than in the previous two decades.

“Ethnic cleansing is defined by the UN as ‘a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas’.

“The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank – perpetrated by settler terrorists,” he said.

“And all too often, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians.”

Ed Miliband has said his move to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements marks the “beginning of a new approach”.

The foreign secretary told MPs on Tuesday that the “unimaginable trauma and suffering” in Gaza was “a stain on the conscience of the world and of this country too”.

He went on to say Andy Burnham’s government will being a “new approach” to relations with Israel, which “not only calls out injustice and suffering, but acts”.

“And in taking this stance, I make a very clear distinction, which is crucial for us all in this debate,” he said.

“Our argument is not with the people of Israel, with whom the UK has unshakable bonds.

“Our argument is with the conduct of its government.”

Ed Miliband has criticised the “unimaginable trauma” inflicted upon the population of Gaza in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks, which he also condemned.

He said: “I am proud of my Jewishness and unwavering in my support for the State of Israel. And there is absolutely no contradiction between this and my support for the State of Palestine. Indeed quite the opposite.”

He goes on to say that his belief in the two-state solution has led to a “deep sense of shame about what has unfolded in Palestine under the eyes of the international community”.

“In Gaza, the most unimaginable trauma and suffering in the last three years – death, destruction and dehumanisation on an appalling scale. A stain on the conscience of the world and of this country too.”

The foreign secretary has announced the UK is sanctioning Hezbollah’s financing arm Al-Qard Al-Hassan.

He also says the UK and allies will be reporting Iran to the UN Security Council with allies such as the US for “nuclear violations” and imposing “major economic sanctions on “Iran in line with the EU and US”.

Foreign secretary Ed Miliband said he was a “proud British Jew” as he delivered a Commons statement expected to reset the UK’s relationship with Israel and impose sanctions on settlements in the West Bank.

He recalled his own family history, whose mother survived the Holocaust and spoke of his own childhood visits to Israel.

The foreign secretary began his statement by expressing his “deepest gratitude” for Israel for giving a home to his grandmother.

He said: “So, Madam Deputy Speaker, I am proud of my Jewishness and unwavering in my support for the state of Israel, and there is absolutely no contradiction between this and my support for the state of Palestine.”

The foreign secretary Ed Miliband has begun his speech, laying out a ‘reset’ in relations between the UK and Israel.

A foreign minister has stated the government’s “steadfast support” for the Falkland Islands’ “right to self determination”.

Responding to an urgent question from the Liberal Democrats, Kirsty McNeil told the Commons: “The UK remains steadfast in our support of the Falkland Islanders’ right to self determination.”

She added: “The Falkland Islands are British as long as they want to be. Falkland Islanders have made their views very clear [in a 2013 referendum].”

Her comments come after pressure from the Argentinian and Israeli governments over the British sovereignty over the islands.

Both Canada and France are expected to announce sanctions against Israeli settlements alongside Britain later on today, it has been reported.

France decided to join the expected British statement after a joint Franco-Swedish effort to sanction settlement products in the European Union reached a stalemate, according to reports from Haaretz and The Guardian.

The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada all condemned the E1 settlers project weeks ago.

Ed Miliband is set to unveil new sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements today, in a move long-called for by many of his Labour parliamentary colleagues.

The news has largely been welcomed by the party’s MPs and peers, however some Labour MPs have also indicated they are not in favour of the trade ban.

The sanctions, which has drawn criticism from the Israeli government and risks a fallout with Washington, will see goods coming out of the illegal settlements in the West Bank subject to trade restrictions.

International Development Committee chair and Labour MP Sarah Champion told The Independent the sanctions were “absolutely necessary” for a two-state solution, while Rachael Maskell said she hoped the UK will “rapidly apply greater sanctions” if there is no de-escalation.

However, one Labour MP indicated they were not supportive of the move, and other, Peter Prinsley said the sanctions posed a threat to Britain’s Jewish community.

The vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel told BBC Radio 4: “My fear is that opponents of Israel won’t distinguish between Israeli government policy, Zionistic political philosophy and British Jews.

“As far as they’re concerned, the whole thing’s the same. It carries a real risk of increased chances of attacks on the British Jewish community.”

Stay tuned as foreign secretary Ed Miliband will be making a statement on Israel and Palestine in the House of Commons at 1:15pm.

We will bring you the latest lines.