The Conservative government is "unwilling to go beyond rhetorical criticism" of the proposed Israeli annexation of the West Bank, Labour’s new Shadow Minister for the Middle East has claimed.
 
Wayne David said: "Britain must not be a passive observer, and Labour will continue to push the government to meet our international and moral obligation."
 
In an article for Labour List, Mr David also called for the Tories to "ban goods from the illegal settlements in the West Bank" – but he admitted "the issue of labelling remains to be resolved."
 
The MP for Caerphilly, who was appointed to the Middle East role as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s front bench reshuffle, said he had "raised concerns" with the Minister of State, James Cleverly, in the Commons this week that "Israel’s newly-formed coalition government is planning to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank."
 
Mr David wrote that the Minister’s answer to his question "was deeply worrying."
 
He added: "While the UK government says it opposes annexation, it is apparently unwilling to go beyond rhetorical criticism. Frankly, that is not good enough."
 
Suggesting the government should "go further" in showing its opposition to the moves, which originated in President Trump’s ‘Peace Plan’, Mr David said: "A letter signed by parliamentarians from across Europe, calling for “equal rights of both Israelis and Palestinians” in opposition to annexation, shows the breadth of support for an international response.
 
"Britain must not be a passive observer, and Labour will continue to push the government to meet our international and moral obligation."
 
Mr David, previously a supporter of the Labour Friends of Israel group, also used the article to outline his support for a boycott of goods produced in "illegal settlements in the West Bank."
 
He said the government "should ban goods from the illegal settlements in the West Bank. The issue of labelling remains to be resolved, but this move would send out a clear message that such a blatant breach of international law is not without consequence."