Miliband’s Gaza pledges Labour conference arrests

Sep 28

Democracy Now replays Miliband’s Labour conference speech condemning Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank and pledging restrictions on settlement imports and British finance, construction and services supporting settlements. It connects the speech to the previous day’s arrests of more than 50 demonstrators outside the Liverpool conference, including Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja, for signs supporting Palestine Action. The speech’s pledges are announced intentions; no implementation or individual judicial outcome is reported.

Miliband condemns Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank, acknowledges public outrage and pledges to ban imports from illegal settlements and disrupt British finance, construction and services supporting them. In a later interview Ben De Pear calls the speech a significant shift from earlier British policy. These are announced intentions and the producer's assessment; the broadcast does not show implementation. The September 29 broadcast replays the speech and adds Shehada's assessment that it reflects a major shift in British public opinion and official rhetoric. He argues that action has not matched the rhetoric and calls for arms-export restrictions and sanctions on Israeli leaders and the military. The passage also recalls the prior day's Palestine Action protest arrests. The announced settlement measures remain pledges, not demonstrated implementation.