Starmer “laser focused“ on Israel trade deal as Gaza burns | Mark Curtis investigates

Labour’s trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds is embarking on fresh trade talks with Israel, whose economy minister is an outspoken supporter of its attacks on Palestinians. Reynolds has received funding from Britain’s Israel lobby and is a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel. Support Declassified - In the talks Reynolds is dealing with a minister in Tel Aviv, Nir Barkat, who is one of the more extreme proponents of Israel’s brutal war in Gaza. Barkat says the Israeli military is “too nice“ and “too considerate“ in Gaza. The government’s announcement was made two days after Israel killed over 30 Palestinians in an airstrike on a school housing displaced people in central Gaza. Britain’s Department for Business and Trade says “Our teams will be entering negotiating rooms as soon as possible, laser-focused on creating new opportunities for UK firms”. Despite the International Criminal Court seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, British embassy officials there are writing about the “tremendous opportunity for collaboration between Israeli and British companies”. Tom Wills, the director of the Trade Justice Movement, told Declassified: “It defies belief that Labour has chosen to continue pursuing a trade agreement with Israel.“ Full story