British-born Israeli ex-government official accused of international law violations in criminal complaint issued to Scotland Yard’s War Crime Unit
London, 6th June 2024- Today, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians has issued Scotland Yard’s War Crimes Unit with a Complaint regarding alleged crimes committed by a British-born Israeli ex-government official. The Complaint includes allegations of abetting, inciting, and conspiring with the Government of Israel to commit the crimes of intentionally using starvation as a method of warfare and wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health to Palestinian civilians of Gaza.
The complaint provides evidence of underlying international crimes punishable under UK legislation, and evidence demonstrating the individual’s accessorial liability for the underlying crimes. If legal proceedings were initiated, the individual, a dual British-Israeli national, would face seven counts of serious international law violations, including violations of the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 and International Criminal Court Act 2001 and with reference to key principles and guidance from the Geneva Conventions and the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Rome Statute.
In their capacity as an ex-government official for Israel, the complaint proposes that there is ‘clear and convincing evidence’ that the individual was instrumental in supporting the blockade basic necessities such as food, water, electricity, fuel and medical aid, supplies and medications. It also alleges complicity and support of the attacks on local food production and distribution, humanitarian aid organisations, and medical facilities and professionals. It also shows evidence alleging that the individual provided cover for illegal acts carried out by the Israeli government and military, knowing that doing so would cause those acts to continue.
Examples of the individual’s ‘accessory liability’ to abet, incite and conspire to commit the alleged crimes includes a plethora of examples of statements, split into three broad categories: statements aimed at delegitimisation of the UN humanitarian aid agency UNRWA, hate speech against Palestinians and Muslims, and statements inciting unlawful attacks, including on medical facilities and professionals.
Evidence includes witness testimonies from nineteen doctors who have worked in Gaza since October 2023. As well as evidence provided by witnesses in the statement, the use of starvation as a weapon of war has been outlined elsewhere by actors including UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk and groups including Oxfam and Human Rights Watch.
The Metropolitan Police have previously been provided extensive evidence by ICJP which demonstrates the commission of the underlying crimes listed in this complaint, and the crimes’ applicability under UK legislation and jurisdiction. These two previous Complaints were submitted to Scotland Yard in January 2024 and May 2024 respectively.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- The individual in this complaint is not one of the individuals named in any previous ICJP complaints and the names of those individuals remains confidential.
- For more information, or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at [email protected].