• THIS week friendly journalists have claimed that Sir Keir Starmer is due to announce a new and radical commitment to Palestinian statehood.

But, as ever, the real story is in the small print.

The Labour Party is now committed to recognising Palestinian statehood, but only “before the end” of a peace process that doesn’t exist, and without any firm time frames.

The phrasing of the pledge means, realistically, that Labour does not commit to recognising Palestine except at some nebulous future point that may take years or decades to arrive, or which may never materialise at all.

The party has committed to recognising the state of Palestine on the very first day of office ever since Ed Miliband’s days as leader of the party. This commitment was included in both the 2017 and 2019 manifestos.

Recently Spain, Ireland and Norway have joined the 144 of the United Nation’s 193 member states in recognising Palestinian statehood without any qualifiers. Starmer’s “radical” approach is actually to dilute Labour’s position, in the midst of the Gaza deaths.

I’ve travelled to Israel many times. As a child, my mother took me to Yad Vesham to understand the history of Holocaust that killed her own family members.

More recently I have worked with the Israeli group Breaking the Silence, made up of former Israel Defense Forces soldiers who oppose Israel’s 75-year occupation.

Those visits have confirmed to me that, just like South Africa’s apartheid regime I fought, Israel must be forced to abide by international humanitarian law.

Like apartheid South Africa, Israel must be compelled to concede the humanity of those it has oppressed by a combination of measures, like cultural and sporting boycotts, arms embargos and economic sanctions, and the fearless application of international law.

So again I use these pages to make a firm and solid pledge: if the residents of Holborn and St Pancras trust me with their vote, I will speak honestly and fearlessly about the reality of Israel and what must be done to rein in its far-right government.

And I will work tirelessly to pressure the United Kingdom government to not only stop sending arms to Israel but to immediately recognise a Palestinian state without any qualification.

ANDREW FEINSTEIN
Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Holborn & St Pancras