THE British government faces a backlash for showing a “complete disregard” for Palestinian suffering by abstaining from a key UN vote on ending Israeli occupation.
The UN general assembly resolution passed last night demanded that Israel end its “unlawful presence” in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip within a year.
An overwhelming majority of 124 countries voted in favour of the resolution. Britain was one of 43 countries to abstain. Just 14 countries, including the US, voted against it.
Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnes Callamard said that governments, including Israel’s allies, must ensure that the country complies with the resolution.
“Over the past 11 months, the systematic human rights violations that are a hallmark of Israel’s brutal occupation and system of apartheid have drastically intensified,” she said.
“Implementing the resolution is key to restoring faith in international law.”
Global Justice Now campaigner Tim Bierley said that Britain’s abstention has shown a “complete disregard” for the ongoing suffering of Palestinians.
“To stay on the right side of international law, the UK’s dealings with Israel must drastically change, including closing all loopholes in its partial arms ban and revoking any trade or investment relations that might assist the occupation,” he said.
Earlier this month, Britain suspended just 30 out of 350 arms export licences, after finally acknowledging that Israel has been violating international law.
Campaigners pointed out that the suspensions “do not go far enough” and fail to encompass components for F-35 fighter jets.
F-35s have been used repeatedly in executing Israel’s war crimes, including in the bombing of an Israeli-designated “humanitarian zone” in al-Mawasi, in an attack which killed at least 90 people in July.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said today that Britain’s arms restrictions on Israel were “fair” and “proportionate.”
He told LBC that he set a scope of limitations “to restrict those licences to the conflict in Gaza, making sure that Israel can still be in a position to defend itself against Hezbollah and Lebanon.”
He made the statement after explosives planted within pagers and walkie-talkie devices led to widespread destruction in Lebanon, injuring 3,500 and killing at least 37 people, including two children. The attacks are widely believed to have been carried out by Israel.
Stop the War vice-chairman Chris Nineham said: “Reynold’s comments are morally repugnant.
“Instead of condemning Israel’s brutal acts of terrorism in Lebanon this week, his talk of allowing Israel to defend itself against Hezbollah implies the British government appears willing to stand by the Israeli government whatever atrocities it carries out.
“The UK's policy might as well be designed to encourage Israel to ever more extreme acts of violence.”
Emily Apple of the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) said: “This government is still perpetuating the narrative that the Israeli government is acting in self-defence.
“Israel is committing a genocide against Palestinian people. There can be no excuses for the atrocities it is committing in Gaza, or its deliberate escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. This is not self-defence.”
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Kate Hudson argued that Labour’s limited restrictions on arms exports to Israel are nowhere near enough.
“Israel is committing a genocide against Palestinians and is using both conventional and hybrid warfare to kill and injure people in Lebanon,” she said.
“The Middle East stands on the edge of a wider regional war and the British government is more than happy to cheer it on. This has to stop.”
