Senior minister says UK will 'no longer' stand by while 'innocent children are killed in Gaza'

Submitted by Imran Mulla on Wed, 09/16/2026 - 11:38 Louise Haigh says sanctions are aimed at 'increasing pressure on the Israeli government'

Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham poses for a photo with Britain's Minister of State in the Cabinet Office Louise Haigh in Manchester on 24 July 2026 (AFP) Off

A senior British minister has said the UK will "no longer stand by" while "innocent children are killed in Gaza".

Louise Haigh, the first secretary of state - a role which involves overseeing the work of the prime minister's office and the cabinet - made the comments in an address to the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Brighton on Tuesday.

Haigh told the TUC meeting that Britain had previously been "too slow in our response" to the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.

"We will no longer stand by while innocent Palestinian families are torn apart, while innocent children are killed in Gaza and while the hope of a two-state solution evaporates before our eyes," she said.

Last week, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband declared the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and announced comprehensive sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements.

Haigh told the TUC on Tuesday: "The sanctions Ed Miliband announced last week are about changing course.

"The Israeli people are not responsible for the actions of their government, so we are purposefully targeting the illegal settlements."

Haigh said this was aimed at "increasing pressure on the Israeli government and helping to keep the hope of peace in the Middle East alive".

"We will stand against injustice. We will stand up for peace. We will build a coalition of international partners to speak with one voice and remind the world who we are."

The Israeli embassy in London's official account hit back, posting on X: "It is deeply troubling to see such one-sided statements that repeatedly focus on the Palestinian narrative while ignoring Jewish victims of terrorism including children.

"Any serious discussion of the conflict must acknowledge the Israeli victims of palestinian terrorism, and the ongoing struggle against those who deliberately target civilians. Ignoring these victims does not promote peace or justice; it creates a deeply distorted and one-sided picture of reality."

Comprehensive sanctions regime

Last week, Miliband said in parliament: "I do not believe the British people want us supporting the occupation by accepting products from settlements in our shops and supermarkets, so I can announce today that we will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories."

The foreign secretary said there would be "a new comprehensive sanctions regime… with appropriate religious exemptions".

He added: "We will take action against specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure financing or real estate for settlement expansion.

Exclusive: UK sanctions on Israeli settlements to include those in Syria's Golan Heights Read More »

"So to those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements, let me say this: you will face the full force of UK sanctions. Settlements are illegal. They should not be promoted in our country."

Eleven other countries - Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden - signed a joint statement with Britain saying they "confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures".

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced that Israel would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem and ban 11 British MPs, among other sanctions.

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