UK Must Act with Courage and Clarity on Israel-Palestine Conflict, Says Foreign Affairs Committee Report

Published: 25th July ‘2025 | The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online

In its first report of the new parliamentary term, the UK Foreign Affairs Committee has delivered a stark and uncompromising verdict on Britain’s role in the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling for a fundamental shift in policy, greater boldness in diplomatic engagement, and immediate humanitarian action. The report, titled “The Israel-Palestine Conflict”, is the result of a nine-month inquiry and offers perhaps the most direct and critical assessment of UK foreign policy in the region in over a decade.

The Committee concludes that successive British governments have failed to demonstrate sufficient urgency or resolve in addressing the crisis — often acting “too little, too late.” It urges a recalibration of UK foreign policy, one that both leverages Britain’s historic influence in the region and reflects a renewed moral and legal commitment to international law and human rights.

At the heart of the report is a clear call for the UK to take greater responsibility for influencing its closest ally, the United States, to push for a lasting ceasefire and meaningful peace negotiations. “Our greatest power,” the Committee argues, “is in our alliances.” Yet the Committee finds that Israel has largely disregarded the UK’s position, and that only the United States retains meaningful leverage over the Israeli Government.

The report’s findings are sobering. It states unequivocally that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and worsening. It recommends that Israel immediately lift restrictions on all crossings to allow the unimpeded flow of food, medicine, building materials, and other aid into Gaza. Simultaneously, it calls for the dismantling of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, to be replaced by a UN-led aid coordination system with full transparency and neutrality.

One of the report’s most urgent humanitarian appeals is for the UK Government to facilitate the medical evacuation of critically injured Palestinian children. Committee Chair Dame Emily Thornberry stressed the importance of moral leadership, saying, “No one watching the images of the suffering of the Palestinians, or hearing the testimony of Israeli hostage families, can be anything other than profoundly moved and distressed… we must not shrug our shoulders in despair.”

On the issue of illegal settlements, the Committee adopts an unambiguous stance. It demands the immediate extension and enforcement of sanctions against violent Israeli settlers and businesses operating in illegal West Bank outposts. It further calls for a complete ban on the import of goods produced in these settlements — a move that, if implemented, would mark a dramatic shift in the UK’s trade policy in the region.

Legal accountability is another cornerstone of the Committee’s recommendations. It proposes that the UK launch a comprehensive evidence preservation project to document violations on both sides of the conflict. Such a repository would be vital for future legal proceedings under international humanitarian law. The report also questions the legality of the UK’s indirect export of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel, asking the Government to justify how such exports align with the UK’s obligations under international law.

Perhaps the most politically charged recommendation is the call for the UK to formally recognise the state of Palestine. While not unanimously supported by all committee members, the majority view is that recognition must happen now — “while there is still a state to recognise.” The report cites the UK’s role as a co-signatory of the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement as part of its historical and moral responsibility to act.

The report further draws parallels between the Middle East peace process and the long, complex journey to reconciliation in Northern Ireland. “We have enormous experience of peacebuilding… another conflict that everybody said was too difficult to solve until it was done,” said Thornberry. This historical insight, the report argues, must now be applied with renewed energy and seriousness in the Middle East.

Committee member Sir John Whittingdale MP offered a balancing voice, acknowledging the sensitivity of the topic and the intense emotions it evokes. While disagreeing with the recommendation on immediate recognition of Palestine, he affirmed that the Committee’s findings are designed to offer constructive, realistic pathways to peace. “The only route towards peaceful co-existence,” he added, “is a two-state solution.”

The report lands at a time when the Israeli government is facing mounting international criticism for its policies in Gaza and the West Bank. Yet despite repeated condemnations, the humanitarian crisis continues to spiral, with aid access tightly controlled and civilian casualties mounting. Critics of UK policy have long argued that Britain has failed to match its rhetoric with action — a charge that this new report appears to validate.

In an era when the international rules-based order faces multiple threats, the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report is a clarion call for British leadership based on principle, not just pragmatism. It demands that the UK step off the diplomatic sidelines and commit to real, tangible contributions to peace — beginning with pressure on allies, firm action on illegal settlements, and unwavering support for humanitarian law.

As the dust settles on the publication of the report, the question remains: will the British Government rise to the challenge and act with the boldness and clarity the Committee demands? Or will another opportunity for meaningful intervention be lost in the fog of cautious diplomacy?

For the millions affected by the conflict, and for those watching from afar, the UK’s next steps may carry implications far beyond Westminster.