Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has confirmed he will boycott Donald Trump's state banquet at Windsor Castle to send a message about Gaza. The Lib Dem chief believes this action will stimulate public debate that may reach the US president's attention, despite acknowledging Trump "won't listen to me directly".
Davey described Trump as "the one person in the world who can stop this humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza. He argued the US president has unique power to pressure both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas through regional allies.
The party leader admitted his decision was "difficult" given his "huge respect" for King Charles, who is hosting Wednesday's dinner. However, he expressed hope that boycotting would give him "more influence on what the Americans hear from the British side through making this stand".
Gaza summer horrors prompt action
Davey explained what drove his boycott decision: "What changed my mind was what we've seen in Gaza over the summer. The children thinned from starvation so much that you can see their skeleton, the lifeless bodies of children killed while they queued for water, the emaciated hostages that Hamas paraded."
The Liberal Democrat leader outlined specific actions Trump could take: "He can ring up Prime Minister Netanyahu and stop the fighting and the killing and get food in, and he can ring up the Qatari government and governments in the Gulf and get them to force Hamas to release the hostages."
Davey acknowledged his modest expectations but emphasised the importance of creating debate about Trump's "power to stop the killing, to get the hostages released, to get the food in, to get a peace where we can work to the two-state solution". He warned Britain risks missing "this moment where he can actually stop a war" if Gaza discussions are overshadowed by trade issues.
Palestinian visa controversy
Davey has written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer demanding he challenge Trump over blocked Palestinian officials. Representatives from the Palestinian Authority, including President Mahmoud Abbas, have been denied US visas for the UN General Assembly later this month.
The Lib Dem leader called for the UN High-Level Summit on 22nd September to be relocated to Geneva if the visa ban continues. In his letter, he asked the Prime Minister: "When he does so, will you call on him publicly to reverse his decision to block the attendance of Palestinian officials at the UN?"
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
