Britain’s Labour Party Voices Objection to Israel Boycott

By JTA November 28, 2014

Britain’s Labour Party reiterated its opposition to boycotting Israel after a municipality voted to support one.

The Midlands Council passed a motion earlier this week resolving to remove goods from the “Israeli Occupied Territories” and condemning Israel for “continuing to ignore and breach international law,” Jewishnews.co.uk reported Wednesday. The council is made up overwhelmingly of Labour party members.

In response, a Labour Party spokesperson said Wednesday that party leader Ed Miliband does not support boycotts.

“They are not the answer and do not progress the cause of peace or help foster negotiations and dialogue,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, a motion for a boycott of Israel that was to be debated by the local council of the town of Dudley near Birmingham was dropped following protests by politicians from the Conservative party and Jewish groups, Jewishnews reported Thursday.

The proposal from Labour alderman Qadar Zada urged an end to “existing and future procurement of goods and services where there is a direct benefit to the State of Israel, including through the supply chain, subject to legal compliance with all relevant procurement, contractual, legislative and regulatory requirements until such time as the State of Israel complies with international law”.

It was scheduled to be debated Monday but was scrapped from the agenda.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO