A GROUP of independent MPs have demanded the Government drop any legal challenge to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) application for an arrest warrant against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Jeremy Corbyn, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan, Iqbal Mohamed and Shockat Adam have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy with a series of demands over Gaza.
These also include suspending all provision of weapons to Israel; restoring UK funding to the Palestinian relief works agency UNRWA; advocating for an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal; imposing sanctions on individuals and entities “inciting genocide against Palestinians”; and immediately recognising the state of Palestine.
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It comes as Israeli media reported on Monday that the UK would not be withdrawing its objection to the application for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant.
The Foreign Office has denied these reports and said the Government is currently working towards agreeing a position.
The full letter addressed to Lammy reads:
“Dear Foreign Secretary,
“We, the undersigned, have been elected by our respective constituents, in part, to represent their concerns regarding the ongoing catastrophic situation in Gaza, which has been described by the International Court of Justice as a 'plausible genocide'.
“There is no doubt that you will be aware that the situation on the ground in Gaza worsens moment by moment. The urgency for action cannot be understated.
“As of the 9th of July, a group of independent UN experts have declared that famine has now spread throughout the Gaza Strip, with the recent deaths of more Palestinian children due to hunger and malnutrition solidifying the urgency of the matter.
“Gaza's Ministry of Health holds the death toll since October at 38,000. However, a study published in the journal, The Lancet, estimates that even a conservative measure of the death toll in Gaza could exceed 186,000. The study points out that the official toll does not take into account the thousands of people buried under the rubble, nor the indirect deaths caused by the destruction of health facilities, food distribution systems and the break-down of other public infrastructure. In addition, the study finds that disease and starvation will lead to many more deaths in the long term.
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“Given the above highlighted factors, and in light of the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice, we write to you to remind you of your Government’s obligations under international law.
“We call upon you to undertake the following actions as a matter of urgency:
- Immediately suspend all provision of weapons and weapons systems to the Government of Israel;
- Immediately restore and increase UK funding to UNRWA, and take all necessary steps to ensure the safe access and delivery of essential supplies and medical aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza;
- Issue a public statement supporting the implementation of measures as advised by the International Court of Justice;
- Drop any legal challenge over the ICC's right to seek an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes;
- Issue a public statement to announce the cessation of the challenge to the International Criminal Court, concerning the arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu;
- Utilise the United Kingdom's position as a permanent member state on the United Nations Security Council to advocate for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire;
- Facilitate and engage in exhausting all diplomatic efforts to secure the prompt release of all hostages;
- Advocate for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force to Gaza, upon reaching a ceasefire agreement;
- Impose sanctions on individuals and entities inciting genocide against Palestinians;
- Suspend the 2030 Road Map for UK-Israel bilateral relations and negotiations towards an expanded trade agreement, and consider the possibility of imposing sanctions;
- Recognise the State of Palestine with immediate effect.
“We urge you to implement these actions as crucial steps towards the alleviation of a catastrophic situation in Gaza, and fulfil the obligations of the United Kingdom under international law.”
In a statement on Twitter/X, Corbyn said: “I have joined other independent MPs in writing to the Foreign Secretary, reminding him of the government's obligations under international law.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) July 15, 2024I have joined other independent MPs in writing to the Foreign Secretary, reminding him of the government's obligations under international law.
That involves dropping any legal challenge over the ICC's application for an arrest warrant of Israeli's PM Benjamin Netanyahu. pic.twitter.com/Fz4WyIXQTe
“That involves dropping any legal challenge over the ICC's application for an arrest warrant of Israeli's PM Benjamin Netanyahu.”
