The present situation in the West Bank must be identified for what it is: a self-inflicted harm to the international standing and reputation of the state of Israel. As the longest serving member of the Conservative Friends of Israel, I can only look on in dismay at the actions of the illegal West-bank settlers who have encroached on Palestinian territory with the stated purpose of displacing them from their land.
The government’s decision to end trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank sends the right signal to Israel. We will only support a two-state solution. The ethnic cleansing that has been ongoing in the disputed territories is neither an advantageous nor an honourable tactic for the Israeli government to sanction. The rage at the events of 7th October must not be allowed to cloud the judgement of a peace-loving people. We are duty-bound to prevent and acknowledge the crimes of any country as they occur.
