Steve Coogan, Paloma Faith and Maxine Peak head a list of celebrities demanding Sir Keir Starmer condemns Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide.

In a video released by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) ahead of the Labour Party conference, actor and comedian Coogan said: ‘Keir Starmer says it’s not genocide, it is genocide.’

Singer Paul Weller, The Crown star Khalid Abdalla, Alien: Earth actor Alex Lawther, singer Nadine Shah, Extraordinary star Bilal Hasna, musician Brian Eno and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos also feature in the video.

It calls for ‘sanctions now’ and intersperses footage of the Israel-Gaza war with clips of the public figures saying ‘It’s a genocide’.

Israel has been accused of committing genocide by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry.

More than 65,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war began, according to the Hamas-run heath ministry, after the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023 killed 1,200 people and saw another 251 taken hostage. 

A report by the United Nations claims that the country’s actions meet the criteria set down for defining the act and that it is ‘clear there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza’. 

Israel’s foreign ministry furiously rejected the accusations, claiming the UN’s conclusion was based on ‘falsehoods’.

In a video released by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) ahead of the Labour Party conference, actor and comedian Coogan said: ‘Keir Starmer says it’s not genocide, it is genocide’ 

Paloma Faith and Maxine Peak also head a list of celebrities demanding Sir Keir Starmer condemns Israel ‘s actions in Gaza as a genocide

Earlier this month the Government said it had concluded Israel’s actions in Palestine were not genocide. 

A letter to the international development committee from the then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy said an assessment conducted by the Foreign Office found Israel was not acting with ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group’. 

Previously, the Labour Government said it was a question for the courts – not a national government – if Israel had committed a genocide. 

The PSC will lead a national demonstration at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Saturday.

Ben Jamal, director of the PSC, said: ‘Almost two years into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, it is a mark of enduring shame that Keir Starmer’s Labour Party still refuses to call it what it is – a genocide – and take meaningful action to end Britain’s complicity.

‘It is no surprise that an unprecedented influx of motions on Palestine have been sent to Labour’s annual conference, demanding the Government stands up for the rights of the Palestinian people.

‘The Prime Minister must listen to this growing public outrage and acknowledge the genocide, sanction Israel and end all arms sales.’

Actor Abdalla said: ‘Gaza is Keir Starmer’s Iraq. The refusal of his Government to use the word genocide is a craven way of evading Britain’s legal obligations under the Genocide Convention. 

More than 65,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war began, according to the Hamas-run heath ministry

‘It is both a moral and political failure that is eroding our democracy and which will stain the Labour Party, and Britain, for decades.

‘We must do everything in our power to end British complicity in “the crime of crimes”, and stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Our collective future depends on it.’

Last Sunday Sir Keir officially recognised a Palestinian state. It came on the same day as Canada, Australia and Portugal and a day before France and Belgium. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded the move ‘absurd’ while accusing the UK of ‘rewarding’ Hamas terror.