10 clues on how new UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband could deal with Israel

Ed Miliband, the new UK Foreign Secretary, is the country's most senior Jewish politician, a choice that has not sparked the antisemitic reactions seen in previous decades. However, Miliband, who led the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015, has had a complex relationship with Britain's Jewish community and Israel, marked by his parents' experience as Jewish refugees from the Nazis.

• In 2010, Miliband signaled a departure from New Labour's pro-Israel stance, stating, “The Gaza blockade must be lifted, and we must strain every sinew to work to make that happen,” without mentioning Hamas or rocket attacks.
• In 2013, he successfully opposed UK military action in Syria following a chemical attack, a decision critics argue emboldened Russia.
• During a 2014 visit to Israel, Miliband adopted a more nuanced tone, acknowledging Israel's security concerns and denouncing the BDS movement, while also expressing a personal connection to the country as “the homeland for the Jewish people.”
• However, his strong condemnation of Israel's actions during the 2014 Gaza war as “unacceptable and unjustifiable” led to criticism from Jewish communal organizations, who felt he ignored the realities faced by Israel due to Hamas.