David Lammy has threatened more sanctions on Israel if a ceasefire in Gaza is not achieved in the coming weeks.
Giving evidence to the Foreign Affairs select committee, the foreign secretary also refused to set a timeframe for when the UK would recognise Palestinian statehood, saying he could not “tie myself to a calendar because it’s convenient for a soundbite”.
It comes just weeks after The Independent revealed that the Trades Union Congress (TUC), representing unions that finance Labour, issued a joint statement with its Canadian and French counterparts calling on the UK government to change its position.
On Tuesday, the foreign secretary was asked by Labour MP Alex Ballinger at the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee: “If we do not get the ceasefire we’re all praying for in the coming weeks…”
“No, we have to get the ceasefire,” Mr Lammy interjected.
“But if that is not the case and we see the abomination that you’ve described and the intolerable continuation of the situation in Gaza, will the government go further to take measures against Israel?” Mr Ballinger asked.
“Yes we will,” the foreign secretary responded.
It comes after the UK slapped sanctions on two Israeli ministers over “egregious abuses” of human rights in Gaza, placing a travel ban and an asset freeze on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
The action, which was taken alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, was criticised by Donald Trump’s secretary of state Marco Rubio, who said the move did “not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire” and called for the measures to be reversed.
There is also growing pressure from a number of senior Labour figures – including Commons foreign affairs chair Dame Emily Thornbury – on the UK to follow the example of Ireland, Spain and Norway last year to officially recognise Palestine as a state.
Pressed on when the UK government would recognise Palestinian statehood, Mr Lammy said: “I’m not going to set it to a set timeframe, because I’ve explained that this is a moving, live situation. There are delicate ceasefire negotiations underway. I’ve explained the issues that sit within that, and whether we will get a… ceasefire. I’m hopeful that we will.
“And alongside French and Saudi colleagues, we are discussing recognition, but my indication and my instinct is I actually want things to change the situation on the ground.
“I don’t think I and the committee disagree with that, but there will be a judgment call, and I’m not going to tie myself to a calendar because it’s convenient for a soundbite. There’s a judgment call that, quite properly, you would expect the government to think very hard about.”
He said that “despite the recognition movement, actually what we’ve seen is further annexation on the West Bank” and “it has not led to get us getting closer to a process, it’s led to further annexation”.
The TUC’s joint statement, seen by The Independent last month, made three demands, including recognising Palestine’s statehood. They called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and for the government to ensure the Israeli government meets its obligations under international humanitarian law.
