SPSC Statement, 9 July 2024
In a general election, there will always be many issues and concerns that determine how millions cast their vote. For a large proportion of these voters, disgusted at the unstinting support that Israel enjoys from the mainstream political parties, complicity in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people has been their main concern.
We now have a Labour government led by Keir Starmer who earned his place by reaffirming his commitment to stand by the state of Israel and smear those who challenge the Zionist project. In his first days as Prime Minister he has already reinforced this commitment by declaring his desire for a 'deepening relationship' with the apartheid state and by packing his cabinet with members of Labour Friends of Israel. A man, a human rights lawyer no less, who infamously claimed that Israel ‘has the right’ to withhold water and power from Gaza. This is something his supporters would like us to stop talking about, claiming he has since clarified his position, though markedly not to that of someone who will even acknowledge the genocide.
Starmer’s party-wide purge of anyone who dare to call out the mass murder of over 45,000 Palestinians makes for a Labour Party made up of officials and MPs who are at best, cowards, and at worst, supporters of one of the gravest slaughters in modern history. He is silent on Israel's defiance of ICJ rulings and there is no condemnation nor call for action, such as an arms embargo and other sanctions, when there is an obligation on states that have signed the Genocide Convention to prevent or punish genocide. Labour’s response in the first months of the genocide was a loose-fitting copy-paste job of the Conservatives: ‘no ceasefire’, ‘Israel has the right to defend herself’, and ‘protestors supporting Palestinians are anti-Semitic'. This is despite over 86% of Labour supporters calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Ultimately, for Palestinians, there will be no change to weapons sales or political cover for Israel.
As a campaign, our task is to organise and channel public opposition to the Israeli regime, with clear demands, to pressure our governments, institutions and corporations to end their complicity. We cannot rely on Starmer’s Labour government to be an ally; it is most certainly our opposition.
Palestinians, who have struggled for their freedom for decades, are calling on us to take strategic, targeted actions through boycott, divestment and sanctions. We are doing this through various campaigns – supermarkets, Barclays, Time to Divest, Apartheid Free Zones, local councils, Stop the JNF, to name some of what we do.
We continue to call out mere symbolic gestures, whether in Holyrood or Westminster and push for meaningful action that protects not only Palestinian right to life, but their right to resist and struggle for full equality, justice and freedom. We will continue to call the perpetrator out by name, Israel, and the racist ideology behind it, Zionism. Politicians cannot be allowed to dine out on slogans for Palestinians whilst sharing a table with their oppressors.
Effective solidarity happens when we are clear in our aims, consistent in our efforts and bold in our delivery. Now is not the time for despair – join SPSC and get involved in our campaigns.
