In 2009 Israel was taking military action against Hamas in Gaza following rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas. Gordon Brown was the Labour Prime Minister and David Miliband the Foreign Secretary.

On the 13th day of an Israeli air and ground offensive against  Hamas a British crafted resolution was adopted by the UN Security Council on January 9th This called for an "immediate and durable" ceasefire and was voted for by 14 nations with no opposition, although the US abstained. 

A few days later on January 18th after 22 days of conflict when 1200 Palestinians had been killed Gordon Brown commented:

“We are yet to discover the full scale of the appalling suffering but what is already clear is that too many innocent civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed during the military offensive.”

The prime minister also said he was particularly alarmed by the bombing of buildings used by the UN in Gaza as well as the killing of so many Palestinian children.

"Israel must allow full access to humanitarian workers and to relief supplies," he said. "We must also end Gaza's economic isolation by reopening the crossings that link it to the outside world."

As reported in the Guardian he concluded by saying he hoped the military action would be seen as a pause in the peace process and that the search for a two-state solution would intensify.

Later the same day the conflict ended when the Israeli Defence Force first declared a unilateral ceasefire, followed by Hamas' announcing a one-week ceasefire twelve hours later.

Of course the circumstances now are not the same as in 2009, not least the plight of the hostages and the scale of the appalling terrorist attack by Hamas. Nevertheless, all the world’s  leaders would do well to reflect on the successful diplomacy back then led by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

I am pleased that President Biden has called for a change in the Israeli cabinet excluding those who are opposed to a two state solution. 

I am also pleased that Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy has now said the following 

"The scale of death and destruction in Gaza over the last two months has been intolerable. 

"Labour is calling for a cessation of hostilities to provide urgent humanitarian relief to Gazans, the release of all hostages, and a stepping-stone towards an enduring end to this war."

It is time for the United Nations Security Council to act as they did following the leadership of Gordon Brown in 2009.