Interactions Report - April 2025

UK-Palestine relations were marked by sharp contradictions: the UK Government publicly condemned Israel’s deportation of Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed and joined France and Germany in denouncing the Gaza aid blockade, while simultaneously hosting Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar - implicated in war crimes - sparking outrage and legal calls for his arrest. The UK welcomed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, signing a memorandum reaffirming a two-state solution and announcing a £101 million aid package. Parliamentary solidarity with the deported MPs and legal initiatives targeting alleged British war criminals in Israel signaled growing political engagement, alongside grassroots activism from groups like Youth Demand and the National Education Union. However, increased repression of pro-Palestinian activists and the sharing of counterterrorism contacts with Israel revealed escalating government crackdowns on dissent, highlighting a widening gap between official policy and public and parliamentary pressure for justice and accountability.

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