Britain urges Israel to show restraint amid fears Middle East conflict could spread | Israel

The British government is advising Israel to show “restraint” as Keir Starmer warned that “sparks” from the Middle East conflict could “affect our communities at home”.

As the war between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory approaches its first anniversary on October 7, Israeli attacks on Saturday evening sent shockwaves across the Lebanese capital after days of Israel bombing suburbs of the city considered to be Iran-backed strongholds Hezbollah group.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Civil Defense Authority said 24 people were killed and dozens injured in an Israeli airstrike on a mosque in central Gaza early Sunday. One hundred and one Israeli hostages captured on October 7, 2023 have still not been released.

Peter Kyle, a British cabinet minister, did not rule out the possibility that the British military would assist Israel in attacking Iran, but noted that any “operational decision to be made” would be based on “delicate negotiations.”

Kyle also noted that the Prime Minister had spoken with the United Kingdom’s allies in recent days, including President Biden, President Macron and Chancellor Schultz, which resulted in “unanimous” advice that Israel exercise “restraint” in the region “have to practice”. However, Kyle said that the British government “cannot order Israel as a sovereign state to do anything.”

Kyle said on BBC One’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday: “We deeply understand what Israel has suffered this year, but the only way forward is restraint, a ceasefire to make room for a political solution because of the situation is getting worse.” more complicated.

“The war is getting worse and is not leading to the peace we need. That is why we urgently demand the steps that will lead us to this peaceful solution.”

The Prime Minister decried the “abhorrent hatred” directed at Jews and Muslims since the October 7 attacks in the Sunday Times.

He called on all parties involved in the conflict to “act with restraint and return to political, not military, solutions” after previously expressing concern that the region is “on the brink” following Iran’s missile attack on Israel.

He wrote in the paper: “The flames of this deadly conflict now threaten to engulf the region.” And the sparks are igniting touchpapers in our own communities here at home.”

He added: “There are always some who would use conflicts abroad to foment conflict here. Since October 7, we have seen vile hatred against Jews and Muslims increasing in our communities.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said more than 250 people had so far been able to leave Lebanon on the three charter flights that had already left Beirut.

There are no further scheduled charter flights, but the situation will continue to be monitored.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “The Iranians have of course already responded and on both occasions when they attacked Israel directly from Iran, British forces tried to help.” .

“Israel is a very strong ally. Of course we want de-escalation, we want negotiations and we want people’s eyes to be drawn to the possibility of a political solution.

Zarah Sultana, an MP who was suspended from the Labor Party and sits as an independent, told the BBC: “There is no scenario” in which Britain’s involvement in an attack on Iran could be justified.

She added: “If we look at the last two decades of British foreign policy in the Middle East, there are a number of failures and clearly no lessons have been learned.” If we look at the opinion of the British public, 56% of are in favor them a ban on arms sales to Israel, only 17% are against it, 67% believe Israel has committed war crimes and 84% want Netanyahu to be arrested if he enters the UK. There is clearly a disassociation from British public opinion and government statements.”

Former long-serving Conservative foreign minister Sir Malcom Rifkind said what was needed by both Israelis and Palestinians was “a leadership prepared not to forget the past but to move towards political dialogue”.