Lib Dems vote in favour of immediate UK arms sale ban to Israel

The Liberal Democrats have voted in favour of “immediately suspending arms exports to Israel” and recognition of a Palestinian state, following an emergency Gaza debate at their party conference.

Delegates “overwhelmingly” voted in favour of a motion tabled by Layla Moran, spokesperson for foreign affairs, which also called for the ousting of Hamas from Gaza, and the proscription of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Monday’s debate, ‘The Israel-Gaza Conflict an immediate bilateral ceasefire and securing two states’, was conducted in respectful fashion, and included several speeches which addressed Israel’s current fragile predicament in forthright fashion.

Gavin Stollar, honorary chair of Lib Dem Friends of Israel, told delegates that calls for a ceasefire would be premature through one “that leaves any hostages remaining”.

He added: “Anyone who shares our belief in a two-state solution is a Zionist, for Zionism is the belief in a sovereign state of Israel, a homeland for the Jewish people, a state like any other in the world.”

Moving the motion, Moran said she had been proud to work with pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups in the party to create wording that recognised “only a two state solution will deliver security and dignity” for both peoples in the Middle East.

But Moran added:”We also want a stronger stance on the export of British arms when there are suspected human rights abuses.”

The successfull motion noted what it said was “the ongoing humanitarian devastation in Gaza, where now over 40,000 Palestinians are now estimated to have been killed and vast numbers have life changing injuries.”

It added there was a clear risk of escalation across the region, with increased tensions in August 2024 raising concerns about a regional war, and increased violence in the West Bank in the context of ongoing trauma to the Palestinian people.

It also regonised the role of Iran, “which continues to destabilise the region including via its Revolutionary Guards, its supply of arms to its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, and the military responses which it threatens against Israel.”

The motion called on the UK government to uphold the role of international law and international courts, “including respecting in full the ICJ advisory opinion that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and upholding its findings.”

On arms sales in called for:”Enacting a presumption of denial for arms exports to governments listed by the Foreign Office as human rights priorities, and therefore immediately suspending arms exports to Israel, in accordance with similar decisions taken by previous UK governments of all political parties.”

It called on the UK to follow other European states “immediately recognising the state of Palestine.”

Other speakers to speak up strongly for Israel during the debate included Bushey North Lib Dem Laurence Brass, a former treasurer at the Board of Deputies.