The British govt is coming under escalating pressure to suspend arms sales to Israel after the strike on a convoy in Gaza that killed seven aid workers, including three Britons.
More than 600 lawyers and retired judges sent a letter to the govt, arguing that the sales violated international law.
Citing the risk of famine among Palestinians, a potential Israeli military assault on the city of Rafah and a finding of the UN’s top court that there was a “plausible risk” of genocide in Gaza, the lawyers urged PM Rishi Sunak to “suspend the provision of weapons and weapons systems” to Israel.
“Serious action,” the 17-page letter sent on Wednesday concluded, “is moreover needed to avoid U.K. complicity in grave breaches of international law, including potential violations of the Genocide Convention. Sunak has hardened his criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war in recent weeks, while stopping short of punitive measures.
On Tuesday, he told PM Netanyahu of Israel that the strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy, in which the three Britons were killed, was “appalling”.