Interaction Report - January 2025

In January 2025, the UK government’s approach to Palestine was defined by a contradiction between deepening military ties with Israel and cautious diplomatic support for Palestinian governance. While senior Ministry of Defence officials made covert visits to Israel and hosted military delegations to discuss security, the government faced mounting domestic pressure to clarify its timeline for recognizing Palestinian statehood. Simultaneously, the Charity Commission issued warnings against fundraising for foreign militaries, and UN rapporteurs raised alarms over the "misuse" of counter-terrorism laws against activists like Palestine Action. These events highlight a landscape where official support for a Palestinian-led recovery in Gaza coexists with robust, and often controversial, bilateral military cooperation.