Ed Miliband gets Labour ovation as he blasts Israel over 'ethnic cleansing' and 'war crimes' - after being confronted by angry Palestine Action activists in Pizza Express

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 05:44 EDT, 28 September 2026 | Updated: 06:21 EDT, 28 September 2026 Ed Miliband was given a standing ovation by Labour activists today as he said Britain would be tougher on Israel over its treatment of Palestinians under Andy Burnham.The Foreign Secretary fired a broadside at the Netanyahu government's actions in Gaza and the West Bank, saying millions of people around the world were right to be 'outraged'.Mr Miliband, the architect of a new sanctions package that outraged Tel Aviv earlier this month, signalled Labour was prepared to go further, despite fears it is damaging relations with a key international security ally. He said that 'millions of people ... moved and outraged by the plight of the Palestinian people: we hear you, you were right,' to cheers and applause.It came hours after he was confronted by Gaza protesters demanding he recognise the Israeli 'genocide' and lift the ban on Palestine Action as he ate dinner in a restaurant.Two activists last night accosted him in a Pizza Express in Liverpool outside the party conference, which has been marked by pro-Palestinian protests. The Foreign Secretary was given a standing ovation as he used his party conference speech to say the public was right to 'outraged' by the Netanyahu government's actions in Gaza and the West BankThe Foreign Secretary was accosted last night in a Pizza Express in Liverpool Organisers said more than 150 arrests were made yesterday as people held banners saying they supported banned group Palestine ActionOrganisers said more than 150 arrests were made yesterday as people held banners saying they supported banned group Palestine Action.In video posted online by Defend our Juries, two activists approached Mr Miliband last night, telling him: 'Ed Miliband we would like you to de-proscribe Palestine Action, we would like you to declare a genocide in Gaza. 'One hundred metres from here there are 200 people being arrested.'Mr Miliband responded that he would be happy to speak to them, but said they were crashing a 'constituency dinner'. However a decision on reversing the proscription of Palestine Action does not sit with the Foreign Secretary, instead sitting with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Mr Miliband was given a standing ovation by the audience as he told them the UK would be tougher on Israel under Andy Burnham.'Under Andy's leadership, we have reset our approach. We call out ethnic cleansing by the settler terrorists in the West Bank,' he said.'We call out the evidence of war crimes in Gaza. We call out Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine. And we match words with actions.'We will ban the import of goods from illegal settlements. We will disrupt the supply lines of British finance, British construction and British services for illegal settlements. And when it comes to the attempt to destroy the two-state solution, this party, this movement, this government, says ''we will not let you succeed''.' Defend Our Juries, which organised the protest, said on Monday that after 16 hours, more than 150 arrests were made outside the conference. A spokesman said: 'Inside the Labour Party Conference today, Ed Miliband will tell campaigners and party members that they were right to build political pressure over Gaza with their protests.'The hypocrisy is breathtaking.'If he means what he says, why are those taking a principled stand against genocide still being arrested as terrorists?'The group said one of those arrested yesterday was 94-year-old human rights barrister, Margaret Owen.