“Clearly, the only way Israel can fulfil this order is by immediately ending its assault on Gaza.”
Zarah Sultana MP
Dear Prime Minister,
I wrote to you on 3 January 2024, just after South Africa had submitted its application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) indicting Israel for its genocidal assault on Gaza. I urged you to publicly support the application and to end Britain’s complicity in this atrocity. I noted that Britain is duty bound to do this since we are a signatory to the Genocide Convention.
But you instead rubbished South Africa’s case, with your official spokesperson saying you believe it is “completely unjustified and wrong”. Today (Friday), the ICJ made its provisional judgement, ruling against Israel and expressing its belief that it is “plausible” Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In light of this judgement, the ICJ has issued provisional measures, ordering Israel and its military to desist from genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, including ending killings of Palestinians, ending and punishing incitement to genocide, enabling emergency assistance and restoring basic services to the people of Gaza, and taking all possible steps to ensure a possible genocide does not continue.
Clearly, the only way Israel can fulfil this order is by immediately ending its assault on Gaza.
This historic ruling vindicates South Africa’s decision to bring forward this case, it shames you for having dismissed it, and it must be a turning point.
Therefore, I again call on you to heed Britain’s obligations as a signatory to the Genocide Convention and to end your government’s complicity in this atrocity. This means accepting the ICJ’s ruling and supporting its provisional measures, calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire as well as lifting the siege on Gaza, and suspending arms sales to Israel.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Zarah Sultana, Member of Parliament for Coventry South
- Zarah Sultana is the MP for Coventry South, you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- If you support Labour Outlook’s work amplifying the voices of left movements and struggles here and internationally, please consider becoming a supporter on Patreon.
