New UK Defense Minister Wes Streeting stated on Wednesday that Israel “does not meet British standards” in Gaza and the West Bank. Speaking to journalists at the International Airshow in Farnborough—one of his first public events in his new role—he emphasized that as a “friend and ally”, Israel should adhere to the same standards as the UK. “This is the standard that, unfortunately, they are not meeting,” Streeting said.
Even before his appointment, Streeting wrote in WhatsApp messages to former US ambassador Peter Mandelson that “Israel is committing war crimes before our eyes” and exhibiting “rogue state behavior” in the West Bank. On Wednesday, he declined to repeat those words but acknowledged: “I am not going to pretend I did not make those comments.” He noted that discussions surrounding the war in Gaza continue to influence British policy following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Position on Israel and Weapons
The new defense minister narrowly retained his parliamentary seat from the Ilford-North constituency in the last general election, thanks to high mobilization among pro-Palestine voters. Some sociologists suggest he could lose this seat in the next election. Streeting also declined to comment on whether the UK should continue purchasing Israeli weapons, stating that “these are not my decisions alone.” However, he expressed “very clear concern about Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank,” emphasizing his belief in Israel’s right to self-defense to protect its values, freedom, and democracy.
The new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is attempting to distance himself from the approach of his predecessor Keir Starmer, who faced criticism from parts of the Labour Party for his strong support of Israel following the events of October 7. In particular, Starmer stated in an interview after the war began that Israel has the “right” to cut off water and electricity supplies to Gaza. Even before taking office, Burnham acknowledged that the Labour Party “did not get everything right.” “The initial reaction of the Labour Party to the situation in Gaza caused enormous pain. We were wrong, and I regret that,” he wrote on social media.
Disputes Over Defense Spending
Burnham appointed Streeting as defense minister on Monday after several weeks of internal disputes within the Labour Party regarding increased defense spending. On Wednesday, Streeting declined to promise that the government would raise defense funding to 3% of GDP by 2030—a target previously advocated by John Healey, the new UK Chancellor, who left the defense minister position a few weeks ago after a funding dispute.
“I am trying not to fall out of favor with the Chancellor on my second day on the job,” Streeting joked. He added that preparing a new budget and reviewing public spending for the Chancellor “will significantly shorten my time in this position, and may even cost me this job.” According to the minister, Burnham invited him to lead the defense department “because of my experience in modernization and reforms,” gained while serving as health minister. “These are the kinds of changes that the Ministry of Defense needs right now,” he said.
Source: Politico
