UK's Miliband pushes for more pro-Palestinian foreign policies in Labour Party conference speech

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, called for a more progressive foreign policy on Israel, advocating for a two-state solution and criticizing the Netanyahu government's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. He acknowledged pro-Palestinian campaigners and pledged stronger government measures, following Prime Minister Andy Burnham's UN address on settlements.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband used his speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool to push for a more progressive foreign policy on Israel, directly addressing pro-Palestinian campaigners and Labour members. Miliband stated that the only route to peace is a two-state solution with security for both Israelis and Palestinians, adding that the October 7 Hamas attacks cannot justify the suffering inflicted by the Netanyahu government in Gaza and the West Bank. He acknowledged that the party's actions have been insufficient and pledged that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government will take stronger measures. Miliband said he will begin efforts to change the status quo, citing a wider lesson for the party from Israel and Palestine. The speech follows Burnham's address to the UN General Assembly, where he pushed against Israeli construction plans for E1 settlements in the West Bank, citing recent UK sanctions on trade with illegal settlements and recognition of the occupation as unlawful.