Sir Ed Davey: Israel has ‘right to defend itself’ but we wouldn’t sell it any weapons
Sir Ed Davey appears to be the sole party leader having a good time during the current election season.
Posed pictures of him tumbling off a paddleboard, enjoying a rollercoaster ride, and sliding down a waterslide are not what you would usually expect from a campaign tour across the country.
"We are trying to have some fun," he said to the JC. "We have many important policies. While it's important to address voters' concerns, I believe you don't have to take yourself too seriously." However, he also mentioned that he hopes people are enjoying both our policy proposals and campaigning approach.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats stated that his party plans to provide the same £54m funding as the current government for the Community Security Trust (CST) if they were to come into power. Sir Ed expressed his pride in representing his Jewish constituents in Kingston and Surbiton.
The area where he resides hosts Kingston Surbiton and District Synagogue, as well as many followers of Kingston Liberal Synagogue, located slightly outside his constituency area.
"I believe it is extremely important for the government to provide CST with financial assistance and any resources necessary to ensure the safety of the people," he stated. Sir Ed commended the group for their efforts in combating the alarming increase in antisemitism in the UK following the events of October 7th.
When discussing Israel, Sir Ed expressed that he valued former Prime Minister and Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid as both a close friend and a trusted advisor on the issue.
He went to see Lapid in February, while he was visiting Israel. During his visit, he witnessed the damage and ruin caused by Hamas in Kibbutz Kfar Aza and the location of the Nova music festival in Re’im where party attendees were brutally killed.
Similar to Lapid, he continued to have faith in the potential for a two-state solution, he mentioned.
Certain Jewish voters are worried that the Liberal Democrats' hopeful stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict overlooks the violent Islamist extremist organizations that are dedicated to destroying Israel.
The Liberal Democrats have backed a ban on weapons sales to Israel. However, Sir Ed emphasized that his party believes in Israel's right to exist. This is why they supported British fighter jets taking down drones and missiles during the attack from Iran.
He mentioned that the Liberal Democrats were not specifically targeting Israel with the arms embargo. He referred to their manifesto, which promises to stop selling weapons to any foreign governments identified in the annual human rights report by the Foreign Office as having human rights issues.
Sir Ed characterized Hamas as a "horrible" terrorist group that must be stopped. He mentioned that the Liberal Democrats supported taking legal action against its leaders on an international level.
However, the party has also supported the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s move to request arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Sir Ed stated that this situation did not demonstrate bias against Israel. He emphasized that their party has consistently supported international law and the ICC when it is within their scope.
When it comes to handling Hamas, the Liberal Democrats plan to collaborate with the Palestinians who seek peace in order to overcome and diminish the influence of the group, according to his statement.
Sir Ed stated that throughout the years, there has been insufficient backing for other Palestinian organizations such as the PA. He believes that more moderate groups, who seek peace with Israel, should be the ones leading instead of Hamas.
He strongly emphasized the need to support a "two-state solution". It is unclear how this support can be given when Hamas poses a significant threat and Israel is lacking weapons.
