- Ex-Supreme Court justices and MPs urge UK to halt arms sales
- Letter cites concerns over UK’s role in Gaza conflict.
- Pressure mounts on government to reconsider its arms policy
A correspondence comprising seventeen pages and featuring the signatures of three former Supreme Court justices urges ministers to resume financing to the UNRWA aid agency and to cease hostilities.
By continuing to arm Israel, the United Kingdom violates international law, Rishi Sunak has been warned.
Beyond 600 solicitors and academicians, including three former Supreme Court justices, have signed a 17-page letter condemning the “catastrophic” state of affairs in Gaza at this time.
The government has been confronted with increasing pressure to halt arms exports to Israel in the wake of an airstrike that claimed the lives of three British humanitarian workers.
James Kirby, John Chapman, and Jim Henderson were among the seven World Central Kitchen assistance workers who perished on Monday when a convoy carrying them was struck in what the Israel Defence Forces termed a “grave error.”
In light of the International Court of Justice’s assessment that genocide is a plausible threat, the letter cautions that the United Kingdom government is legally obligated to take preventative measures.
The signatories expressed their approval of the government’s growing demands for an end to hostilities and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, they noted that the government’s continued sale of weaponry and weapon systems to Israel substantially fails to fulfil its responsibilities under international law.
Additionally, ministers are encouraged to sanction “entities and individuals that have issued statements inciting genocide against Palestinians” and to strive for a cessation of hostilities.
Their letter requests the restoration of funding to the UNRWA. This aid organisation was deprived of funds on October 7 in response to allegations that staff had been involved in the Hamas-organized attack.
The Liberal Democrats and the SNP have taken the position of advocating for a complete prohibition of arms exports.
Although the government does not provide Israel with weapons directly, it does authorise British companies to export arms to the country through export licences.
UN weapons imports amounted to a mere 0.02% of Israel’s total military imports, according to Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell’s recent statement to members of parliament. The United States continues to be Israel’s primary supplier of weaponry.
In previous decades, the United Kingdom has twice revoked licences to sell armaments to Israel; however, the prime minister has thus far declined requests to repeat this action.
Mr Sunak told The Sun that the United Kingdom “adheres to a rigorous export licencing regime.”
He stated, “We will always adhere to a set of rules, regulations, and procedures. Since the beginning of this conflict, I have been in constant communication with Prime Minister Netanyahu that while we defend Israel’s right to defend itself and its people against Hamas attacks, they must do so in accordance with international humanitarian law and safeguard civilian lives; sadly, too many civilians have already perished.”
In addition, it stated that “serious action” is required to prevent the United Kingdom from complicity in grievous violations of international law, such as possible infringements of the Genocide Convention.
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Former Supreme Court president Lady Hale and former justices Lord Sumption and Lord Wilson are among the signatories.
Conservative Party members Flick Drummond, David Jones, and Paul Bristow have urged the government to reconsider the decision to cease exports.
Former member of parliament-turned-Tea Party peer Lord Hugo Swire also desires an end to exports in the present circumstance. He held the position of minister in the Foreign Office during the premiership of David Cameron.
Shadow foreign secretary for the Labour Party, David Lammy, stated that the government should suspend arms sales if there is a risk that weapons could be used in “a serious breach of international humanitarian law” and release any legal advice it may have on the matter.
