Brighton, 21 September 2026 – The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine (LDFP), and Islamic Relief hosted the annual Palestine reception at the Liberal Democrats conference 2026 in Brighton.
The event took place from 4.45pm until 7.30pm at the Hilton – Brighton Metropole on Monday, 21 September.
Delivering a keynote address, the Palestinian Ambassador H.E. Husam Zomlot said about this month’s sanctions announcement:
“This month was a significant moment in the British-Palestine relationship. It was a turning point. At long last we shifted from condemnation to consequences, from words to action.”
About the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of settler sanctions, he said:
“We must uphold our legal obligations, but language matters … and this isn’t [just] about individual settlers. Settler terrorism is sponsored by a state – the state is Israel. Sanctioning the crime but shielding the criminal is not justice.”
Other speakers included Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller MP, Arab Israeli Knesset member Aida Touma-Sliman, ICJP Director Tayab Ali, LDFP Chair Anne-Marie Simpson, Interim Director of Islamic Relief UK Zia Salik, Lib Dem MP Anne Sabine, and Sahar Shah of the Adam Foundation.
This year’s reception follows the government’s recent sanctions announcements against Israel that, while appear to mark a shift away from UK complicity in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians, must also be followed up with robust measures that extend across every area in which UK policy, trade, and investment continue to sustain Israel’s unlawful occupation and its crimes against Palestinians.
Tayab Ali, Director of ICJP, discussed accountability and the need to deal with Israeli government policy of occupation. He said:
“The occupation is not a natural disaster. Settlements do not build themselves. Checkpoints do not operate themselves. Homes do not demolish themselves. These are the product of decisions, policies and institutions” of the Israeli government.
Palestinian Israeli Knesset member Aida Touma-Sliman, a member of the Hadash party, spoke about the difficulty of being an Arab and Palestinian member of the Knesset, and that while they may be a minority in Israel, they are part of the “majority of humanity”.
She added that “Crimes are not committed [by Israel] on a daily basis against Palestinians, but on a minute-by-minute basis.”
The event featured refreshments and food and provided an opportunity for conference attendees to connect with like-minded individuals committed to defending and upholding international law and the human rights of the Palestinian people. It was well attended by MPs, peers, leaders of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), political staffers, council group leaders, and other party members.
ICJP will maintain its engagement with political parties beyond this party conference season and continue its work to ensure the UK ends all complicity in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- For more information, to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at [email protected].
