“UK diplomacy has clearly failed to end the attacks on civilians – concrete action is therefore long overdue. This must start with an end to arms sales.” – Beth Winter.
By Matt Willgress, Labour Outlook
A petition calling on the UK government to halt arms exports to Israel has been handed in at 10 Downing Street by PSC and a cross party group of MPs. Nearly 70 000 people have signed so far.
The government’s own arms export guidelines state it “will not grant a licence if it determines there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law”. Alicia Kearns MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, was recorded at an event saying: “The Foreign Office has received official legal advice that Israel has broken international humanitarian law, but the government has not announced it.”
Recently in the Commons, Zarah Sultana MP asked the Prime Minister, “Was the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee telling the truth – yes or no?” Rishi Sunak refused to deny the Foreign Office has received such legal advice, saying only that “Israel is committed and capable of complying with international humanitarian law.”
More than 1000 lawyers, academics and retired judges, including the former President of the Supreme Court Baroness Hale, have signed an open letter saying that the continued supply of arms to Israel puts the UK in breach of international law. Two weeks ago a cross party group of 135 Parliamentarians wrote to the Foreign Secretary and Business Secretary, saying the case for a suspension of arms export licenses to Israel is “overwhelming.”
Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain and Belgium have all announced they would stop shipping weapons to Israel. Despite this, Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said the UK will continue arms sales.
More than 34 000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in six months, most of the civil infrastructure in Gaza has been destroyed and the UN has issued stark warnings that famine is imminent for the population of 2 million people. It is in this context that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded there was plausible evidence that Israel is conducting a genocide.
Ben Jamal, PSC Director, said, “Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians, and its attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, prove that arming it not only makes the UK complicit in violating international law but also the sparking of a regional war with catastrophic consequences. Continuing to arm Israel cannot help the cause of peace or justice in the Middle East. Any Government truly committed to upholding international law does not sell weapons to a state that continually breaches it.”
Speaking to Labour Outlook, Beth Winter MP, said, “Over 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been injured – including over 30,000 killed – by Israel’s military assault. Their attack on health facilities and housing for refugees and their restrictions on aid reaching those who need it will cause further suffering. The International Court of Justice requires Israel to prevent killing or harming Palestinians in Gaza. This has been ignored. UK diplomacy too has clearly failed to end the attacks on civilians – concrete action is therefore long overdue. This must start with an end to arms sales to Israel and I will continue to work with PSC, War on Want and CAAT to campaign for that.”
- Those present at the hand-in included Brendan O’Hara MP, Beth Winter MP, Richard Burgon MP, Ben Jamal PSC, Asad Rehman War on Want, Alison Thewliss MP, Chris Law MP, Imran Hussain MP, Apsana Begum MP & Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP.
- 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.
