Starmer: Netanyahu ‘completely wrong’ to block Gaza aid
PM tells MPs the UK must now look to 'other ways of raising money and finance for development and aid overseas' after confirming cut to government's foreign aid budget
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The decision by Benjamin Netanyahu to block aid into Gaza is “completely wrong and should not be supported in this House” Keir Starmer has told the Commons.
The Prime Minister added:”On the contrary, what we need is more aid going into Gaza, desperately needed at speech and at volume.
“We are making these representations.”
Starmer made the comments after he was quizzed by a Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson about Netanyahu’s Gaza aid block which she said was “a breach of internmational law.”
Israel blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza as it demanded Hamas agree to a US plan for a ceasefire extension.
The first phase of a truce deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US expired on Saturday.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office said Hamas was refusing to accept a temporary extension proposed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The PM appeared before a packed Commons on Monday to deliver a statement on his attempts to provide vital support for Ukraine, while attempting to retain good relations with US president Donald Trump.
He told MPs:”Economic security is national security” and described Putin’s Russia as a “menace” responsible for “cyber attacks on the NHSand assisination attempts on our streets.”
“Britain will lead from the front and we must now win the peace.”
Starmer doubled down on his commitment to announce “the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War.”
Addressing the need to cut that UK aid budget, Starmer said:”We will now do is go through line by line the funding and look at our priorities.”
But he then added:”Of course, Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, are right up there in our priorities. But I also want to work with others and across the House, if we can, but other ways of raising money and finance for development and aid overseas. ”
Starmer continued:”I saw the President of the World Bank on Friday to have that very discussion, and want to have that and mention it in my discussions with other countries this weekend, many of whom want to join in attempts to find other ways to leverage money, particularly from the private sector, where States can’t do it in the way they might want to just at the moment. ”
“And that’s the approach that we will take,” added Starmer.
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