Lisa Nandy: Labour can now be ‘honest broker’ for Israel and Palestine
Shadow foreign secretary speaks to the JN about rebuilding trust with the Jewish community and her party's Middle East policy
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy has insisted Labour is now in a position to play an “honest broker role” over its dealings on Israel and the Palestinians.
Speaking to Jewish News, the Labour frontbencher also said she was “determined” never to allow the debate within her party over the Middle East to be “used by a small group of people, to propagate antisemitism.”
But the Wigan MP stressed that a balanced approach to the Israel/Palestine issue would mean that Labour “won’t shy away from calling out behaviour that abuses human rights, that erode the rights of people, that makes the hope of a two-state solution ever more distant.”
Nandy said that both herself and leader Keir Starmer shared the view that there “would be no peace between Israel and Palestine and the wider Middle East unless we take seriously the big concerns and the needs of both the Israeli people and Palestinian people.”
She added: “We have worked very hard in the Labour Party over the past year to show that we will take a balanced approach on the issues.
“We have reached out and are rebuilding relations with the Israeli Labour Party and we recently met with the Israeli ambassador.
“We met with the Palestinian ambassador recently as well and we work very closely with different groups across the Labour movement.”
Nandy revealed that one of her “most moving” moments as shadow foreign secretary had at a meeting of Palestinian and Israeli figures “who meet regularly and work together in order to change things collectively for the people that they are part of and that they represent.”
“They thanked us for taking a fairer, more balanced approach on both sides,” she said.
“They wanted an official opposition and a future Labour government who could command support and respect and be listened to by both sides in order to provide that honest broker role in the Middle East.
“I believe that is the best way you stand up for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.”
The 41-year-old MP, who won the backing of the Jewish Labour Movement in last year’s party leadership contest, also spoke of the efforts taken by Labour under Sir Keir to “get our house in order in terms of antisemitism.”
All too often the issue of debate around Israel and Palestine straying into anti-Jewish racism, she said, “not because the two things are one and the same but because often what we saw in recent years was the way antisemitism was able to spill into the debate around Israel and Palestine.
“And debate around Israel and Palestine was able to be used by some — a small group of people — to propagate antisemitism.
“We are determined not to allow that to happen.”
But this did not mean Labour would avoid direct criticism of the policies of the Israeli government, she insisted.
“We won’t shy away from calling out behaviour that abuses human rights, that erodes the rights of people, that makes the hope of a two state solution ever more distant,” she said.
“Particularly in relation to the settlements and the annexation plans — we have been incredibly vocal and we pushed our government very hard in order to take concerted action.”
Last year, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatening the annexation of parts of the West Bank, Nandy had called for a ban on the import of goods from settlements.
She said at the time the move would be a “major step” and require “courage that so far ministers have not been willing to show”, adding “such a blatant breach of international law must have consequences”.
But the former chair of the Labour Friends of Palestine group was always opposed to implementing Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) policies.
Ms Nandy has said of BDS: “I have never supported it because of the very particular circumstances in which Israel came into being and the constant attempts to undermine the right of Israel to exist.
“It is important not to stray into that territory.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
