Israel and Palestine

Debate between Ed Miliband and Zarah Sultana

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ed Miliband]

Well, that was worth my hon. Friend getting some extra time—thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. My hon. Friend raises a really important issue around education, and an important issue around the safety of Jewish children going to school in the UK. We will take forward both of those issues.

[Zarah Sultana (Coventry South) (Your Party)]

This Government still describe Israel, an apartheid state committing genocide in Gaza, as a strategically important partner. They announce a partial arms sales ban while continuing to provide intelligence and F-35 fighter jet components via the international pool. Whether directly or indirectly, arming a genocide is still arming a genocide. They announce a settlement ban as a dead cat, hoping to distract us from wider UK complicity. The Foreign Secretary could impose full economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel, but he refuses. He could end all arms sales and intelligence co-operation, but he refuses. He could call this what it is—a genocide—but he refuses. I will ask him directly: how many more Palestinian men, women and children must be killed by Union Jack weapons before this Government finally stop arming Israel completely?

[Ed Miliband]

The hon. Lady’s statement is a complete travesty. This Government are taking action. We are taking action on goods and on services, and we have banned arms licences for the IDF in Gaza. We have taken action across the board. We have declared the occupation unlawful. Her statement might have been designed for TikTok, but it really does not become her.