UK Labour Party members vote to recognise Gaza genocide at conference

In a move that puts pressure on the UK government to take the same position, members of the Labour Party in the UK have voted to support Israel’s condemnation of the genocide in Gaza.

A UN Commission of Inquiry, which earlier this month declared that Israel “has committed genocide,” was supported by delegates at Labour’s party conference. Trade unions overwhelmingly voted in favor of the outcome.

The decision contrasts with senior ministers and Labour leader Keir Starmer’s claim that international courts should decide genocide cases rather than politicians.

Israel is accused of committing genocide in a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Following the conference vote, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy once more confirmed that position.

“That implies that the ICJ, along with their judges and judiciary, and the ICC, must decide whether a genocide was committed in accordance with the convention.” Politicians like me shouldn’t be doing that, he said, adding that he backed “the rules-based order”.

The public can then make their own judgment about what they see, he said.

The vote represents “a huge defeat for the government,” according to Ben Jamal, director of the activist group Palestine Solidarity.

“It is now necessary for the government to impose comprehensive sanctions on Israel and a complete arms embargo,” the statement read.

If the government attempts to ignore this significant vote, it will be in conflict with its own party, in denial of the facts, and become more and more isolated around the world.

solidarity demonstrations against Palestine Action

The Israeli government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the Labour decision, saying, “While]US President] Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu are working tirelessly in Washington to end the Gaza war, the UK Labour Party chooses to support Hamas and fully embraces its lies, including the fake-genocide campaign.”

The US and Israel’s efforts to put an end to the war are supported by the world. “Labour supports Hamas,” it said.

The Labour vote took place one day after the UK’s far-right Reform Party’s deputy leader Richard Tice visited Israel. Gideon Saar, the minister of foreign affairs in Israel, reported on X that Tice had expressed his party’s opposition to the United States’ earlier recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly and thanked him for standing by Israel.

This year’s Labour conference was predominated by the conflict in Gaza. A pro-Palestinian activist alleged complicity in Israel’s actions in a pro-Palestinian activist’s speech earlier on Monday.

Less than ten minutes after Reeves’ address, the protester, later identified as Sam P, asked, “Why is Britain still arming Israel?”

He continued, “Labor is complicit in the widespread starvation of Palestinians.”

Reeves responded, “We are acknowledging a Palestinian state and we understand your cause.” However, we are no longer a protest party in the government.

Police confirmed that during a sit-in to protest the government’s ban on the activist group Palestine Action, they had arrested 66 people.

About 100 people held signs that read, “I oppose genocide,” before the demonstration started on Sunday afternoon. “I back Palestine Action.”

In April, the UK government declared Palestine Action a “terrorist” organization. A Royal Air Force aircraft allegedly carrying weapons parts to Israel was covered in red paint after activists allegedly sprayed it with the paint.