KEIR Starmer has urged Israel to show the “courage of restraint” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighs up how to retaliate against the ballistic missile attack on his country.
On the anniversary of the October 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel, which has triggered widespread conflict across the Middle East, the Prime Minister stepped up calls for the release of the hostages taken to Gaza.
He also urged all sides to “step back from the brink” and find a political solution, with immediate ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon.
More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7 last year, with 2.3 million Palestinians believed to be displaced across the territory.
In a statement to the Commons on Monday afternoon, Starmer (below) warned the entire region was on the brink of a wider war.
Starmer said the ballistic missile attack on Israel launched by Iran was “not a defensive action” but “an act of aggression and a major escalation in response to the death of a terrorist leader” – a reference to the killing of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah.
“We support Israel’s right to defend herself against Iran’s aggression in line with international law,” he told MPs.
But he added: “The region cannot endure another year of this.
“Civilians on all sides have suffered too much. All sides must now step back from the brink and find the courage of restraint.”
Whilst the UK Government has suspended around 30 arms sales to Israel, it faces calls to go further and ban the sale of parts for deadly F-35 jets made in Britain, which Israel has used in its bombardment of Gaza.
Starmer said that Hamas’ actions on October 7 were supported by Iran, which played a “malign role” in the region, also backing Hezbollah and the Yemen-based Houthis.
He added that the first anniversary of the October 7 attack was also a “day of grief” for the wider Middle East.
“Over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, tens of thousands orphaned, almost two million displaced, facing disease, starvation, desperation, without proper healthcare or shelter.
“It is a living nightmare and it must end.”
In Lebanon, where Israel is mounting an offensive in response to Hezbollah attacks, Starmer repeated the call for Britons to leave.
Some 430 have been flown to safety on UK Government charter flights, and plans have been drawn up for an emergency evacuation if the situation deteriorates further.
Authorities said at least 1400 Lebanese, including civilians, medics and Hezbollah fighters, have been killed and 1.2 million driven from their homes.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Israel has “a duty to destroy Hamas”, when it was put to him the country has gone beyond defence and is now in offence.
Speaking on LBC, he said: “They’re an evil terrorist organisation.”
