Three former Supreme Court justices have joined more than 600 legal experts in calling for the UK government to end weapons sales to Israel. In a letter to the prime minister, they said exports must end because the UK risks breaking international law over a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza. Rishi Sunak is already facing growing cross-party pressure after seven aid workers were killed in an air strike.
On Tuesday, he said the UK has a “very careful” arms licensing regime. British sales are lower than those of other countries, including Germany and Italy, and dwarfed by the billions supplied by its largest arms supplier, the United States.
But a UK ban would add diplomatic and political pressure on Israel, at a time when its conduct in the Gaza conflict is coming under renewed international scrutiny.
Former Supreme Court president Lady Hale is among more than 600 lawyers, academics and retired senior judges who have signed a 17-page letter.
It says “serious action” is needed to “avoid UK complicity in grave breaches of international law, including potential violations of the Genocide Convention”.
It adds that the sale of arms and weapons systems to Israel “falls significantly short” of the government’s obligations under international law, given the “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza – which the letter said was highlighted in a provisional judgement issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January – and the worsening humanitarian situation since. Other signatories include former Supreme Court justices Lord Sumption and Lord Wilson, along with nine other retired judges and 69 senior barristers.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lord Sumption emphasised the importance the provisional ruling from the UN’s highest court should have on UK policy, even though the ICJ’s final ruling has not yet been issued.
“It seems to me that if you have a duty, as we do, to prevent genocide – and there is a plausible case that is what is happening – you should do what you can to obstruct it,” he said.
The former Supreme Court judge added that the “framework of international law around war” does not mean countries can act however they want, even if they have been provoked or attacked, “however outrageously”.
He said: “It doesn’t mean to say that you can indiscriminately slaughter innocent civilians and children. It doesn’t mean to say you can attack aid convoys, you can withdraw the visas of aid workers. It doesn’t mean to say you can spend two weeks flattening hospitals.”
There are limits to what people can do, even in self-defence. Among other actions the letter says the government must take to meet its obligations under international law are:
restoring funding to the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, after it was suspended over allegations employees were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel imposing sanctions on “individuals and entities who have made statements inciting genocide against Palestinians suspending ongoing diplomatic and “enhanced trade deal” negotiations with Israel launching a review into suspending the UK’s existing trade deal and “consider the imposition of sanctions” on Israel
Source: BBC
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