Ed Miliband: UK ready to work with any Israeli government to end settler violence

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said he hopes to work with whichever government the people of Israel choose to elect on Tuesday, emphasising the need to counter the destabilising impact of extremist settler violence in the West Bank.

Speaking in the House of Commons Miliband stated, “I am very conscious that today is election day in Israel, and these are matters for the Israeli people.

“Whichever government, and it is their choice, is elected today, I hope we can work with them to counter the settler terrorism that we see. Because I think it is in nobody’s interests, not least it is not in the interests of the security of Israel.”

During Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)  questions in the Commons, the former Labour leader responded to an MPs calls to outline the government’s steps to help stop settler violence, which has recently targeted Palestinians harvesting olive crops in the region.

When asked if the sanctions levelled at Israel by the UK in response to settler violence and settlement expansion were sufficient, Miliband was forthright: “In all honesty, I don’t think the response of the international community as a whole has been sufficient.

“That’s why I made the statement I did on the 8th of September. In my department, across the government, we are continually asking, ‘How do we tackle the injustices we face across the world, not just in relation to the West Bank?'”

He continued, “And we will use all the powers at our disposal—including direct conversations with whatever government the people of Israel choose to elect—to say this settler terrorism must end.”

Miliband was also pressed on whether sanctions could be enacted swiftly enough to address the possible expansion of the E1 corridor in the West Bank—an area whose development, many fear, would make a two-state solution impossible.

“”I do want to be completely clear,” said the Foreign Secretary. “And I said this on the day of the closing of the tenders that those individuals and businesses who proceed with bids for E1 construction tenders risk facing the full force of UK sanctions. This is why this is much more than symbolism. What we are doing is about substantively stopping the destruction of the prospect of a two-state solution.”

He added: “We are determined to do all we can to prevent E1 from happening … and we’ve brought the sanctions regime—not the sanctions regime that’s coming in the next six months, but the extension of the GHR sanctions regime—precisely so that we can take swift action.”

Later, Miliband expressed that the government was “deeply concerned about the denial of entry to the West Bank for two members of Parliament and I believe one member of the Scottish Parliament as well.”

Labour MP Clive Lewis and SNP politician Lara Bird were among those detained and barred from entering the West Bank as part of a delegation attending Progressive International’s Second Ramallah Congress.

Former Labour MP Sam Tarry, partner of Communities Secretary Angela Rayner, was also on the delegation and was stopped by Israeli officials.

“I would say, you know, more broadly, that it is very, very important that members of this House, as they go about their business—not just in the UK but internationally—have free access so that they can actually do their duties to this House,” said Miliband.

Earlier, Middle East minister Stephen Doughty rejected criticism of Miliband’s meeting with his Iranian counterpart at the UN General Assembly.

“The Foreign Secretary raised very seriously at those highest levels Iran’s nuclear program and a series and a series of other issues, just as previous foreign secretaries have raised serious concerns directly with Iran, including many on his side,” Doughty said, responding to criticism from the Conservative benches.

“We are absolutely clear: Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. We are committed to working to ensure that it does not.”