BICOM

Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband pledged yesterday that if elected as Prime Minister, he will remain a proud friend of Israel. He also reiterated the importance of a two-state solution.

Speaking at a Labour Friends of Israel lunch, Miliband shared some of the personal and political insights from his recent visit to Israel. He said, “I want you to know that if I become Prime Minister in less than a year’s time, I will be proud to do so as a friend of Israel.” He added, “The priority that I attach to our relationship with Israel, is not just a promise for Opposition, but a commitment for government.” Miliband said that this commitment is rooted in “the democracy it [Israel] represents, because of its economic lessons, and because of the importance of a Middle East peace process for the stability of the world.”

He outlined what he believes most people understand an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians would look like, consisting of, “Two states for two peoples, based on 1967 lines with mutually agreed land swaps, with Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people.” However, Miliband also emphasised the seriousness of Israel’s security concerns, commenting, “We must ensure Israel’s security and right to protect itself.” Reflecting on his visit to Sderot, which has been regularly targeted by rockets from Gaza, Miliband said, “After 10 years of continuing rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli civilians from Gaza, of course there remains deep concern amongst Israeli citizens about their security.”

The Labour leader also praised Israel as an “economic powerhouse” and a “major world innovator,” although he also noted that Israel faces “the challenges of inequality” common across the world. He further pledged, “I can tell you that a major priority for a Labour Government would be to further collaborate, building stronger working relationships between British and Israeli companies.”