Opinion: Starmer needs to break with failed playbook on Palestine, Israel and Ukraine

In his latest column, Middle East Eye editor-in-chief David Hearst says that the new Labour government must recognise Palestine, refund the UN refugee agency for Palestinians (Unrwa), respect international law and engage the Muslim community. 

He writes: "The message that electorates around the western world are giving their leaders is something quite different.

In order to become credible, you have to earn it. You have to listen to what your people are telling you. Starmer glided to power by saying as little - either as an opposition leader or as an election candidate - as he could possibly say.

Does anyone remember one thing he said, one policy he proposed in this election? I can’t. 

That’s fine for getting into power, but not for staying in power. To stay in power, Starmer has to show there has in fact been a change of government. 

He notably failed to do that as leader of the opposition, where he was in lockstep with Sunak over Gaza."

You can read the full column below. 

Opinion: Starmer needs to break with the failed playbook on Palestine, Israel and Ukraine