More than 60 MPs from seven parties have written to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy urging him to impose sanctions on Israel over “repeated violations of international law”.
The letter, sent to Lammy on Wednesday night and seen by Middle East Eye, was organised by MPs Richard Burgon and Imran Hussain, both formerly Labour MPs but currently independent.
It was signed by former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer and numerous Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru and Scottish National Party MPs.
It was also signed by the five MPs in the pro-Gaza Independent Alliance, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Several peers, including Baroness Sayeeda Warsi – formerly a Conservative peer in the House of Lords, but now an independent – also signed the letter.
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It cites the advisory opinion issued in July by the International Court of Justice, which labelled Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories as unlawful and demanded that it ends as soon as possible.
“The court also found that all states, including the UK, have obligations to not recognise as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory and to not render any aid or assistance in maintaining this,” the letter reads.
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“We write to urge the UK government to impose sanctions and take other concrete steps to give effect to the landmark opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel’s continuing illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
The letter notes that the ICJ found that states must prevent any actions, including trade, treaty or investment relations with Israel, that assist in the maintenance of Israel’s occupation.
It calls on the government to ban trade with illegal settlements, review all current and pending trade relations with Israel and suspend all arms transfers to Israel.
“The UK government has repeatedly stated that it is committed to international law. Acting in support of the ICJ advisory opinion would be a critical step in demonstrating that commitment.”
‘Legal and moral obligation to act’
The Labour government suspended 30 out of 350 export licences for arms sales to Israel in September.
Last month, Foreign Secretary Lammy announced fresh sanctions against three Israeli settler outposts and four organisations he said were responsible for “heinous abuses of human rights” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
But this letter calls for Britain to go significantly further.
‘Our government needs to impose widespread sanctions to get Israel to end its war crimes’
– Richard Burgon MP
Richard Burgon MP said: “We cannot allow Israel to tear up the rule book of international law and simply go unpunished. Words alone from our government are simply not enough.
“Our government has a legal and moral obligation to act. It needs to impose widespread sanctions to get Israel to end its war crimes and stop violating international law.”
Imran Hussain MP said: “The arrest warrants issued for war crimes must be just the start of renewed efforts to force Israel to abide by international law, stop the war crimes and end its illegal occupation of Palestine.
“By imposing widespread sanctions on Israel as the ICJ ruling demands, our government would be taking a stance in defence of the international rules-based order and making clear that Israel will no longer get away with trampling all over international law.”
