UK Labour’s Burnham apologises for response to Israel’s Gaza violence

Key Points:

• Andy Burnham, likely next UK prime minister, apologized for Labour Party's initial inadequate response to Israel's military actions in Gaza, stating "we got it wrong" and calling for stronger sanctions against those involved in violence.
• Burnham acknowledged the UK’s prior steps, including recognizing Palestine and sanctioning Israeli far-right ministers, but criticized the government for being too slow to call for a ceasefire and urged more robust measures.
• He highlighted ongoing violence in Gaza despite a US-brokered ceasefire, with over 1,000 Palestinians reportedly killed since October, and called for bans on trading goods from illegal settlements.
• While Burnham stopped short of accusing Israel of genocide, he noted increasing evidence of possible war crimes and emphasized that international law must ultimately determine accountability.
• He also condemned Hamas’s October 7 attack and related anti-Semitic violence in Britain, reflecting Labour’s attempt to balance criticism of Israel with condemnation of terrorism amidst internal party tensions.