Manchester councillor resigns from party over Labour leader's stance on Israel

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A Manchester councillor has quit the Labour Party over Sir Keir Starmer's stance on Israel. Ardwick councillor Amna Abdullatif has resigned from the party citing comments made by the Labour leader about the conflict in the Middle East as the reason.

She will now serve as an independent councillor and will continue working with Labour representatives in the area. It comes as the siege of the Gaza Strip continues after Hamas, which controls the Palestinian territory, killed hundreds of people in Israel - including some British citizens - and took dozens of soldiers and civilians hostage in an unprecedented attack nine days ago.

The Labour Party has condemned the actions of Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group in the UK and elsewhere, and has called on all parties to 'act in line with international law' including allowing humanitarian access of food, water, electricity and medicines to Gaza and ensuring safe humanitarian corridors in Gaza for those fleeing violence'.

However, the party's leader has been criticised for comments last week which suggested that Israel 'has the right' to withhold power and water from Gaza. READ MORE: A community on edge READ MORE: Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters gather in Manchester city centre following march amid Israel-Hamas war In a resignation statement shared on social media on Monday (October 16), Coun Abdullatif said: "I have been a member of the Labour Party for the last decade and proud to have been elected in 2019 as the first Arab Muslim women [sic] to represent Manchester City Council in my home of Ardwick.