“Despite acknowledging the Court’s findings, two years on, the Government has still not formally responded or taken the steps required to meet its legal and moral obligations. Further delay is
simply indefensible.”
Richard Burgon, Imran Hussain and other MPs have written to the Foreign Secretary asking her to act in line with the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Israel. You can read the letter and signatories in full below.
Dear Foreign Secretary,
We write ahead of the second anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) landmark
Advisory Opinion on Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, issued on 19 July 2024. We urge the Government to impose sanctions and other concrete measures to uphold its legal obligations under this ruling and wider international law.
The world’s highest court, the ICJ, found that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory (OPT) is unlawful. It called for Israel to end this presence “as rapidly as
possible” and cease all new settlement activity.
Two years on, Israel has not only ignored the Court but deepened its illegal occupation. This
includes recent orders by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel’s army to seize large
areas of the Gaza Strip, alongside intensified annexationist measures in the occupied West Bank,
including the approval of plans to register land there as Israeli state property.
These examples underline how, without much bolder action, the Israeli Government will continue to
simply ignore the words of condemnation from political leaders and governments and deepen its
illegal occupation.
All States have an obligation to act.
The ICJ is clear that all States have an obligation not to recognise this illegal situation and “not to
render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
The Court also made clear that all States must “abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings
with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory or parts thereof which may entrench its
unlawful presence in the territory” and “take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist
in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the OPT.”
Additionally, the ICJ reiterated the obligations of all State Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to
ensure Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.
The Government’s Responsibilities
The ICJ’s Opinion imposes clear legal responsibilities on the Government.
Yet, despite acknowledging the Court’s findings, two years on, the Government has still not formally
responded or taken the steps required to meet its legal and moral obligations. Further delay is
simply indefensible.
The Government knows what needs to be done. It has rightly imposed widespread sanctions on
Russia for its illegal war on Ukraine. Yet there has been no such comprehensive response to Israel’s
actions in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
We are clear that international law cannot be applied selectively. The Government must apply the
same principles to Israel’s unlawful occupation as it does elsewhere.
In line with the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion and to uphold its legal obligations, we urge the Government
to act without delay by:
- Banning all trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements and taking action
against companies profiting from or sustaining the illegal occupation. - Imposing targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on all individuals and
entities complicit in maintaining Israel’s unlawful presence in the OPT, including political
leaders responsible for illegal settlement expansion and annexationist policies. - Suspending the UK-Israel trade agreement until Israel complies with international law.
- Ending all arms transfers to Israel, including F-35 components and other equipment that may
be used in violations of international humanitarian law.
If the Government wants to show that its stated commitment to international law and human rights
is more than words, then it must act decisively and without further delay.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Burgon MP and Imran Hussain MP
Diane Abbott MP
Shockat Adam MP
Lord John Alderdice
Tahir Ali MP
Paula Barker MP
Lee Barron MP
Lorraine Beavers MP
Órfhlaith Begley MP
Apsana Begum MP
Siân Berry MP
Lara Bird MP
Olivia Blake MP
Baroness Christine Blower
Ian Byrne MP
Ellie Chowns MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Pat Cullen MP
Ann Davies MP
Marsha De Cordova MP
Carla Denyer MP
Dave Doogan MP
Lord Alf Dubs
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
Colum Eastwood MP
Sorcha Eastwood MP
Cat Eccles MP
John Finucane MP
Mary Kelly Foy MP
Andrew George MP
Mary Glindon MP
Lord Peter Hain
Claire Hanna MP
Chris Hazzard MP
Lord John Hendy
Chris Hinchliff MP
Dáire Hughes MP
Rupa Huq MP
Adnan Hussain MP
Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece
Kim Johnson MP
Afzal Khan MP
Ayoub Khan MP
Ben Lake MP
Peter Lamb MP
Ian Lavery MP
Chris Law MP
Brian Leishman MP
Clive Lewis MP
Baroness Ruth Lister
Cathal Mallaghan MP
Rachael Maskell MP
Paul Maskey MP
Douglas McAllister MP
Andy McDonald MP
John McDonnell MP
Llinos Medi MP
Abtisam Mohamed MP
Iqbal Mohamed MP
Lord Shafaq Mohammed
Grahame Morris MP
Brendan O’Hara MP
Simon Opher MP
Kate Osborne MP
Yasmin Qureshi MP
Adrian Ramsay MP
Martin Rhodes MP
Marie Rimmer MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Liz Saville Roberts MP
Lord Prem Sikka
Lord Indarjit Singh
Cat Smith MP
Hannah Spencer MP
Zarah Sultana MP
Jon Trickett MP
Baroness Pola Uddin
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi
Nadia Whittome MP
Steve Witherden MP
Mohammad Yasin MP
- Richard Burgon is the MP for Leeds East, the Secretary of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs and a regular contributor to Labour Outlook. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
- Imran Hussain MP is the MP for Bradford East. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter/X and TikTok.
- 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.
