Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Mass pressure works

The British government today announced a “reset” in its relations with Israel, setting out measures to hold Israel to account for its violations of international law and crimes against the Palestinian people. 

There is no doubt about it: The mass movement for Palestine forced the government to act. But the measures announced are nowhere near enough to end Britain’s complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. 

That is why we must continue campaigning. On Saturday 10 October, we will be taking that message to the streets of London, marching to commemorate three years of Israel’s ongoing genocide and demand comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo. Will you join us?

Over the past three years, millions of people across Britain have marched, protested, campaigned and lobbied for comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo, as the minimum required in the face of an unfolding genocide. 

That work was built on a foundation built by PSC members over decades, in direct partnership and in response to the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS). 

Today’s announcement is a vindication of that work, which has transformed the political conversation in Britain, and proof positive that campaigning does create change, even if at a painfully slow pace. 

The government has now accepted the July 2024 International Court of Justice ruling that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is unlawful, and committed to a ban on settlement goods, action against companies involved in settlement expansion, and further restrictions on arms export licences to Israel. 

This is a significant move, but falls far short of what is needed: there was no comprehensive sanctions, no full two-way arms embargo, no end to all military cooperation, no suspension of the 2019 Bilateral Trade and Partnership Agreement, and no revocation of the UK-Israel 2030 Roadmap.

The coming weeks and months will require us to increase the pressure on the government to hold to its commitments in today’s announcement, and go much further to finally put an end to British support for Israel’s apartheid regime. 

We cannot squander the opportunity to push further and we will not rest until Palestine is free. 

Join us in central London on Saturday 10 October to demand an end to the complicity, and for the liberation of Palestine. 

In solidarity, 

Dan 

PSC Political Organiser