New UK government urged to act on promises for Palestine

The Palestinian envoy to the UK on Saturday expressed optimism about the British public's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and called on the new government to fulfill its promises.

Speaking to Anadolu during a pro-Palestine march in London, Husam Zomlot said Britons have made their views clear, emphasizing their support for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza, an arms embargo on Israel, and the recognition of the state of Palestine.

"I am hopeful about British people, because the British people have delivered their verdict nine months ago with an immediate and permanent cease-fire. The British people are with an immediate arms embargo on Israelis committing genocide. The majority of the British people are with an immediate recognition of the state of Palestine. So, the British people have delivered their verdict. Now the new government has got to listen, and has got to implement its own promises, to be in line with international law, to do what is right," Zomlot said.

"This a moment for hope, and a moment of change and we are hoping they will carry through and deliver the promises."

The diplomat stressed the importance of the British government adhering to its legal obligations regarding arms exports. "They have promised that they will adhere to the provisions of international law and to the provisions of the British law, because the British law is very clear. Should any of these states contradict international law, British exporting license of weapons must be removed immediately. That's the British rule. So, we are waiting for this government to make the right decision," he added.

The UK has called for a "sustainable" cease-fire in Gaza, but has defended Israel's right to defend itself and has not suspended arms exports to Tel Aviv. In the early days of the conflict in Gaza, Keir Starmer, the new prime minister whose Labour Party won a landslide in Friday's general elections, aligned closely with the support for Israel, which infuriated many in his party.

In recent weeks, however, Labour has shown a greater willingness to diverge from the previous government's position, including implicitly supporting the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes in the Palestinian enclave.