UK’s U-Turn on International Humanitarian Law is a threat to UK soft power and to peace and justice for Palestinians
London, 19th March 2025 – On Monday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed what we all already knew, that Israel had broken international law. Regrettably, the following day, only hours after Israel’s horrific attack on Gaza yesterday, the Prime Minister’s Office effectively retracted this correct accusation, signalling a willingness to bend the contours of international law when he needs to protect his support for Israel. This threatens peace and justice for Palestinians and undermines UK soft power.
Gaza has been starved out for over two weeks, with no food or medicines having entered the Strip in that time, in contravention of the ceasefire. Energy for Gaza has also been cut, including that necessary for water desalination. After the Foreign Secretary correctly identified this as a breach of international law, Number 10 hastily backtracked, rejecting this statement– stating that the government position is only that the move ‘risks’ breaking international law.
The demands of international humanitarian law are clear[see notes to editors]. There is no way that food, water, medicine and shelter can be withheld to almost 2,000,000 people – civilians who are simultaneously being massacred in mass-casualty aerial bombardments – without conclusively breaking international law. The blocking of humanitarian aid that intends to impose conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of Palestinians as a group is a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.
When Israel first enacted a total siege of Gaza in October 2023, Keir Starmer was asked whether the occupying state has the right to cut off food, fuel, and water to the Strip. He responded: “I think Israel does have that right.” Defenders of Starmer claimed that the answer was taken out of context. However, his continued refusal to admit that Israel has broken international law in its blockading tactics shows that this is not the case. It is even more remarkable that he has issued this statement contradicting his own Foreign Secretary.
ICJP Senior Public Affairs Officer Jonathan Purcell said:
“It doesn’t matter which way you cut it; this is a lose-lose. Not only is Starmer recklessly undermining peace and justice for Palestinian people, but his failure to uphold international law also undermines the UK’s credibility on the world stage.
No serious country that supports human rights can defend the indefensible, by finding excuses for Israel’s abhorrent violations of international law time and time again.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. 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.
2. For more information, to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at press@icjpalestine.com.
3. Relevant provisions include Geneva Conventions (Additional Protocol 1, Articles 54, 69), ICJ provisional measures ordered of January, March, and May 2024, the Rome Statute (Article 7) and customary international law.