Andy Burnham, the likely next Prime Minister of the UK, has expressed his desire to increase pressure on Israel

Andy Burnham, anticipated to be appointed as Britain’s new prime minister later this month, aims to increase pressure on the Israeli government regarding its actions in Gaza, as reported by the Guardian on Thursday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Burnham expressed criticism regarding Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s initial response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, following an attack on Israel by Hamas-led gunmen. “We need to increase pressure on the Israeli government… While we have made some significant moves… we must acknowledge that the UK was too slow to advocate for a ceasefire. “We must now take further steps to enhance our approach,” he stated.

Starmer initially resisted calls from within his party, including from Burnham, who was a regional mayor at the time, to demand a ceasefire; instead, he backed a humanitarian pause in the fighting.

He subsequently advocated for a ceasefire and has since expressed criticism of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza. His government has enacted sanctions against far-right Israeli cabinet ministers and has officially recognized a Palestinian state.

Despite a ceasefire last year that concluded the two-year war, Israel’s military has persisted in conducting strikes in Gaza amid the broader regional conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, justifying these actions by citing threats or fire from Hamas.

“We must take additional action, which involves considering further sanctions on those participating in the violence in Gaza, as well as exploring measures to prohibit trade in goods associated with illegal settlements,” Burnham stated.