British MPs and Legal Professionals Call for Arms Embargo on Israel

More than 100 British MPs urged the UK government to immediately ban arms sale to Israel, given its continued genocide and war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The appeal was made in a letter signed by 130 parliamentarians (107 MPs and 27 peers). The letter argued that "business as usual" for UK arms exports to Israel is "totally unacceptable," noting that an F-16 fighter jet made with UK parts was probably responsible for bombing British doctors in Gaza two months ago. The letter further noted that the UK government had suspended arms sales to Israel during the two previous wars on Gaza. "The scale of violence committed by the Israeli military is vastly more deadly, but the UK government has failed to act," it said.

More than 600 members of the British legal profession and three former Supreme Court justices have also called on the government to halt arms sales to Israel. "The provision of military assistance and material to Israel may render the UK complicit in genocide as well as serious breaches of International Humanitarian Law," the judges, barristers and legal academics said in a 17-page letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak April 3. Despite this, Foreign Secretary Cameron announced April 9 that based on legal advice kept confidential, Britain will continue to arm Israel.

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This article was published in

Volume 54 Number 26 - April 15, 2024

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS542620.HTM

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