The shadow defence secretary has acknowledged Sir Keir Starmer’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war has “caused hurt to many people”.
John Healey’s comments come as the Labour leader battles to maintain discipline inside his party, amid a revolt over his refusal to call for a ceasefire.
Sir Keir has instead joined the UK and the US in urging a humanitarian “pause”, short of a full-scale ceasefire, in Gaza.
Earlier this week, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar criticised Sir Keir for having “hurt” Muslim communities during an interview with LBC in which he suggested the Israeli government had the right to withhold water and power.
Asked if he accepted Mr Sarwar’s criticism that Sir Keir’s approach had caused hurt to Muslim voters, Mr Healey told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I accept that it’s caused hurt to many people and Keir Starmer would do that as well.
“But he understands why people are calling for a ceasefire and want to see an end to the fighting.
His concern is twofold and he says that at present this is not the right time for now— John Healey on Sir Keir Starmer
“His concern is twofold and he says that at present this is not the right time for now. First, because Israel must have the right to self-defence, it must have the right to go after the Hamas fighters and its missile launchers.
“And secondly, in the end, what’s most important now is what will best work to bring some alleviation of the suffering to people in Palestine, get more aid into Gaza and create more space for further diplomacy. And that quite clearly has been the humanitarian pauses that Keir Starmer has been arguing for, a break in the fighting if you like.”
Mr Healey also said Sir Keir wanted to bring people with him on the issue.
Also on Sunday, David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, warned the “siege conditions” in Gaza are unacceptable, in the party’s strongest intervention yet over the Israel-Hamas war.
He said the number of dead Palestinian civilians and children was “shocking” as he called on Israel to take steps to stop a “humanitarian catastrophe”, but again defended the party’s refusal to call for a formal ceasefire.
It follows reports that left-wing Labour MPs could try to join with the SNP and force an emergency vote on a ceasefire when parliament returns next week.
It is thought the group could appeal to the Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for a vote or use an SNP opposition day debate.
Veteran pro-Palestinian campaigner George Galloway is also reportedly considering standing to become London mayor, a move that could damage Sadiq Khan’s hopes of re-election by splitting the Labour vote.
