The Foreign Office stated on Thursday that while it reviewed advice regarding Israel’s compliance with the law, the substance of such advice was kept private.
Along with over 600 other members of the British legal community, three former justices of the Supreme Court have voiced their support for the government to stop selling arms to Israel because doing so could implicate Britain in the genocide occurring in Gaza.
Two of the nation’s top intelligence specialists supported their request as well, saying that Britain should exert all of its influence to get Israel—and its biggest ally, the United States—to alter its course in the conflict.
Since hostilities began on October 7, the British government has been a steadfast supporter of Israel; however, in light of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Foreign Secretary David Cameron has recently become more critical of the country.
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Cameron stated on March 8 that a decision regarding Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law was being made and would likely come in the “coming days” before Britain would authorize export permits for the country to sell weapons to Israel.
The Foreign Office stated on Thursday that while it reviewed advice regarding Israel’s compliance with the law, the substance of such advice was kept private.
Prominent figures in the British legal community declared that the government must immediately stop sales to prevent “aiding and assisting an internationally wrongful act.”
“The 17-page letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from judges, barristers, and legal experts expressed concern that the UK could be held accountable for genocide and grave violations of international humanitarian law if it continues to provide military support and supplies to Israel.”
Jonathan Sumption, a former justice, expressed his concerns to BBC Radio that the British government was neglecting its duties under international law.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, any mention of the genocide is “outrageous”, and Israel has an “unwavering commitment to international law”.
Release Pressure
Rejecting calls for an immediate halt to arms sales to Israel, Sunak has said that the government follows a “prudent licensing regime”.
But pressure has increased after seven aid workers, including three British citizens, were killed in Israeli air strikes this week. Israel claimed that his death was an error.
The United Kingdom grants licenses to export explosive devices, assault rifles, and military aircraft components to Israel. However, Israel is a relatively small supplier; According to the latest full-year data, its exports accounted for only 0.4% of Britain’s total global defense sales.
The sales ought to be used as leverage, according to two prominent members of Britain’s intelligence community: Alex Younger, the former head of the MI6 foreign spy service, and Peter Ricketts, the former national security adviser.
According to Ricketts, there is “now abundant evidence” that Israel violates international humanitarian law, and he said that prohibiting it would send a message that might spark discussion in Washington.
“Achieve leverage, and create incentives for more focus to be put on the issue of what is technically called collateral damage but what we would call as killing innocent civilians,” Younger told the BBC. This was what Britain needed to do.
The Conservative chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs select committee, Alicia Kearns, stated earlier this week that ministers had been informed by their legal representatives that Israel had broken international law during its war in Gaza.
The government has previously prohibited sales to Israel, as evidenced by the revocation of some licenses in 2009 and the formal restriction on the sale of weapons following the invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
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