On the anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel, Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered an address to Parliament this afternoon, condemning the actions of Hamas, and calling for a return of Israeli hostages and a military ceasefire.
Starmer said that October 7th 2023 was “the bloodiest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust”, which saw 1200 Israeli civilians killed, 254 people taken hostage and many others assaulted and raped by Hamas terrorists.
He declared that the hostages “must be returned, immediately and unconditionally” and paid tribute to the families of those captured by Hamas.
Turning to the Israeli response, Starmer said today marked “a day of grief for the wider region” after a year of “conflict and suffering”. Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed around 41,000 people and displaced a further 2 million from their homes. With the conflict in recent weeks spreading to Israel’s north, with Hezbollah terrorists firing rockets in their direction from Lebanon, Starmer said that the government stood with all “innocent victims in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and beyond”.
He went on to condemn Iran’s attack on Israel last week, accusing them of playing a “malign role” in the Middle East. The Iranian government has consistently provided funding and support to Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis; all terrorist organisations intent on attacking Israel.
In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister charted a path to peace, arguing that civilians in the region “cannot endure another year of this”. He called on regional leaders to exercise “courage and restraint” in seeking a diplomatic solution and an end to all military conflict. Starmer advocated a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, saying that “there is no other option”.
“Nobody in this house [Parliament] can truly imagine what it feels like to cower under the bodies of your friends, hoping a terrorist won’t find you, mere minutes after dancing at a music festival. Nobody in this house can truly imagine seeing your city, your homes, your schools, your hospitals, your businesses obliterated, with your neighbours and family buried underneath. It is beyond our comprehension.”
Conservative leader Rishi Sunak echoed the words of the Prime Minister, and said that the conflict and suffering in the Middle East stemmed from Iran’s refusal to accept Israel’s right to exist.
Sunak further argued that the conflict in Gaza and Russian invasion of Ukraine showed the necessity of increased military spending. In that regard he asked Keir Starmer to recommit to spending 2.5% of GDP on Defence.
Finishing his responding statement, Sunak said “the United Kingdom stands with Israel against this terrorism today, tomorrow, and always”.
MPs were then given the opportunity to ask questions to Keir Starmer about the conflict, and suspended Labour MPs Richard Burgon and Zarah Sultana both asked him to consider a total ban on arms sales to Israel.
Starmer emphatically denied this request, arguing that banning all arms sales “would mean none for defensive purposes” and that it would the be the wrong thing to do, especially given Iran’s recent attacks. The government did suspend 30 of the UK’s 350 export licences to Israel in early September, citing a concern that these arms may be used to violate international law.
