How Israel’s Gaza war is harming Britain’s and the West’s interests – and what can be done about it
A mourners reacts at the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at Nasser hospital, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 23 May 2025
David Keys writes in North East Bylines on 30 July 2025:
The UK Prime Minister has told the Israeli government that Britain will recognise the State of Palestine this September – unless Israel agrees to a Gaza ceasefire, allows the UN to fully restart the supply of aid, commits to a ‘two state’ solution, Israel and Palestine peace process and guarantees that the West Bank will not be annexed.
But without even tougher pressure (economic sanctions etc or the unambiguous threat of them) from Bgritain and other major countries, Israel is extremely unlikely to take any notice.
The sort of additional measures which the UK and other governments need to now seriously consider should clearly include:
- Suspending the current UK/Israel trade agreement
- Stopping all arms and military-related exports to Israel (including any other goods that are likely to indirectly assist Israel’s militarily)
- Stopping most imports from Israel (because Israeli export earnings help indirectly to finance its murderous war on Gaza and its oppressive illegal occupation of – and ethnic cleansing and illegal settlement-building activities in – the West Bank)
- Outlawing all UK trade with the illegally-occupied West Bank, in terms of goods, services and investment etc.
- Substantially reducing flights between the UK and Israel (because flights help tourism and trade that generates income which indirectly then helps fund Israel’s war on Gaza and its illegal occupation and oppression of the West Bank.
- Making Israeli soldiers and civil servants etc, suspected of potential involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity, liable to investigation and arrest in the UK
- Making it illegal for UK citizens to serve in or assist the Israel Defence Forces
- Energetically engaging with other countries to encourage them to take similar actions.
- Forcing Israel to change direction is not just important from a Palestinian human rights and regional peace perspective. It’s also utterly crucial from a British and overall western political and geopolitical perspective.
So here is a ten-part analysis describing why Israel’s ongoing behaviour is so damaging to Britain and the western world – and why tough action is needed in order to have any chance of convincing Israel to change direction. It is the first time that all the arguments have been brought together in one article.