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More than 600 lawyers, including former Supreme Court judges, have warned that the British government risks breaking international law by continuing to allow arms exports to Israel.
The letter, published on Wednesday night, says Britain is obliged to halt arms sales to the Gaza Strip following the International Court of Justice’s conclusion that there is a “plausible risk of genocide” due to the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip. said.
Signatories include former Chief Justice Lady Hale, former Supreme Court Justices Lord Sumption and Lord Wilson, nine other judges and 69 KCs.
This comes as pressure mounts on Rishi Sunak over arms supplies to Israel. Former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Wednesday: I Governments must act now against Israel’s “inhumane” actions in war zones.
The letter also comes at the end of a day of bipartisan calls for an end to arms exports to Israel, following news that three British nationals were among seven aid workers killed on Monday night. Sent.
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, published legal advice the government had received on whether Israel had breached international law, saying there was a risk the weapons would be used in “serious breaches of international humanitarian law”. The government called on the government to halt arms sales if there is a violation of the law. ”.
he said: “The law is clear: a UK license to use arms will not be granted if there is a clear risk that the item will be used to commit or encourage serious breaches of international humanitarian law.
“Labour’s message to the government is equally clear: Publish your legal advice now. If you claim there is a clear risk that British weapons will be used in serious breaches of international humanitarian law, , it’s time to stop selling those weapons.”
Downing Street declined to say on Tuesday whether it believed Israel was acting within the scope of international humanitarian law and said it would not comment on legal advice, but ministers would not act on any advice. He added that he took it.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats have also called for a halt to arms exports, with Tory MPs Flick Drummond and David Jones echoing a similar plea from David Cameron’s former national security adviser, Lord Ricketts. A similar complaint has been filed in response.
But Rishi Sunak said the UK had a “very prudent” arms export regime that would “always be followed”.
He told The Sun’s Never Mind the Ballot program: We defend Israel’s right to defend itself and its people from Hamas attacks, and Israel must do so in accordance with international humanitarian law and protect civilian lives, but unfortunately it already has too many people are losing their lives. ”
Although the government does not directly supply arms to Israel, it has given export licenses to British companies to sell weapons to Israel, and suspending the licenses could prevent sales.
Britain has taken this course twice so far. Margaret Thatcher’s government suspended arms exports in the wake of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982, and Tony Blair’s government banned the sale of some munitions in 2002.
Additional report by PA