Thornberry condemns UK government’s ‘failure’ on Gaza and calls for economic sanctions

Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of the foreign affairs select committee, has issued a stark rebuke of the UK government’s handling of the Palestinian crisis, accusing ministers of failing the Palestinian people through insufficient economic pressure on Israel. Speaking at a Westminster event convened by Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Council on Arab-British Understanding, Thornberry argued that the government has not done enough to make it economically impossible for Israel to continue its actions in the West Bank and Gaza.

Thornberry, who has rarely been this critical of official Middle East policy, highlighted the lack of progress toward a two-state solution since the UK recognised Palestine as a state in 2025. She described the government’s approach as lacking ambition and characterised it as merely “wringing its hands” while the situation deteriorated. The remarks are likely to resonate within the Labour Party, where foreign policy has seen little discussion in the context of a potential leadership contest.

The MP specifically criticised US President Donald Trump for declaring a ceasefire in Gaza only to withdraw diplomatic attention shortly after. Thornberry noted that over 700 Palestinians have been killed since Trump’s proclamation, describing his approach as publishing a “piece of paper” and then walking away. She argued that the continued rise in casualties, including images of children in displacement camps, proves that no genuine ceasefire exists.

Thornberry called for concrete measures to make settlement expansion “economically painful,” including banning imports from illegal settlements, imposing sanctions on involved parties, and halting British company involvement. She pointed out that it has been 682 days since the International Court of Justice published its advisory opinion on the lawfulness of the occupation, yet the UK government has still not published its formal response.

Highlighting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent announcement that Israel intends to take over 70% of Gaza, Thornberry described the sense of impunity as “staggering.” She urged the UK to revive the group of states that backed the recognition of Palestine in 2025 to coordinate international pressure, warning that words of condemnation are no longer sufficient to prevent further tragedy in the region.