The UK’s new sanctions on Israeli settlements may be groundbreaking, but they’re also full of loopholes. F-35 parts are exempt, the state itself is untouched, and enforcement won’t start for months. Real progress, but far from enough.

In a historic move, the UK banned trade with Israeli settlements – a major step towards accountability for Israeli crimes. But it’s not enough while Palestinians face daily state violence, harsh movement restrictions, and are still denied access to basic healthcare.

In a UK first, a judge sentenced four Palestine Action activists to terrorism charges for a direct action protest against an Elbit Systems factory. The move sparks fears the ruling could set a dangerous precedent for those opposing Israel’s genocide.

Keir Starmer is facing a political crisis, in part because of his support for Israel, as a rising star in the party calls for sanctions against the “pariah” state. Gaza has altered politics forever, and the shock waves are now reaching the UK. 

British Member of Parliament Iqbal Mohamed asks if genocide, starvation, and the introduction of a death penalty for Palestinians alone are not red lines for this Labour government, then what is? The UK government must reevaluate its Israel policy now.

France, Great Britain, and Canada’s recognition of a Palestinian state might matter someday. But, as usual, the Palestinians won’t get any immediate help from Europe, much less from North America, in stopping the Gaza genocide now. 

The UK’s designation of Hamas, and possibly Palestine Action, as “terrorist” organizations shows that the proscription regime is not about preventing terrorism but silencing political views and free expression.

The European Union has the power to stop Israel’s rampant slaughter in Gaza. But even recent moves to pressure Israel reflect the EU’s unwillingness to stop the genocide.

Hamas’s application to the UK Home Secretary to remove its designation as a terrorist organization aims to build international support for Palestinian resistance and affirm the group’s role as a political actor in determining the future of Gaza.

The new London theater production “Cutting the Tightrope: The Divorce of Politics from Art” takes direct aim at the British government’s campaign to stifle free speech and activism on Palestine.