ICJP evidence used in International Development Committee report, concluding “UK must not protect friends at expense of international law”

London, 12^th June 2025 – The International Development Committee (IDC) has published its latest report on upholding international law, using evidence submitted to the committee by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians.

The IDC report is entitled “Protection not permission: The UK’s role in upholding international humanitarian law (IHL) and supporting the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.” ICJP submitted eight pages of evidence to the IDC. The report cited ICJP’s evidence, in relation to the efficacy of sanctions as an important tool for addressing suspected breaches of IHL.

This comes only days after the UK implemented sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir. However, diplomatic sanctions must target the Israeli Government more broadly, whilst financial and economic sanctions are crucial to ensuring the UK does not support Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, in line with the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 Advisory Opinion.

The report also referred to the International Criminal Court as a means of holding states and individuals accountable for breaches of IHL. The report also recognises political efforts to impede the court’s work, specifically calling out the United States for its ‘particularly obstructionist stance.’ This is particularly noteworthy, as the report is published only days after the revelation that former UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron threatened to withdraw the UK from the ICC over its War Crimes probe.

As well as highlighting the importance of protecting accountability mechanisms in order to protect IHL, the report also covered the protection of humanitarian aid workers. In one section, the report pointed to the possibility that UK weapons components could be used in attacks on aid workers or humanitarian infrastructure.

In particular, the report cited the World Central Kitchen drone strike in Gaza in April 2024, which killed three UK nationals. The report concluded that legal obligations on arms exports lies with the government, rather than private companies, and that this ‘must be addressed.’

ICJP submitted evidence to the IDC in January 2025, in response to a call for evidence opened on the 4^th December 2024. The UK Government now has until the 12^th August 2025 to respond.

ICJP Senior Public Affairs Officer Jonathan Purcell said:

“Throughout the report the subtext is clear. The report refers to ‘the lack of consistency across conflict types and geographies’ as ‘startling’. The law does not allow exceptions for allies, and yet time and time again, Israel is uniquely held to a lower standard than any other country. Until this impunity is ended, Israel will continue to flout IHL.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

ICJP is a legal organisation based in London, working to uphold international law and defend the rights of Palestinians.
International Development Committee. (12^th June 2025) “Protection not permission: The UK’s role in upholding international humanitarian law and supporting the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.”
For more information or for media inquiries, please contact the ICJP news desk at press@icjpalestine.com.

Extremist Israeli Ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich finally sanctioned by UK, but more must follow

ICJP to Foreign Office: Israeli interception of UK-flagged Freedom Flotilla Ship is an ‘attack against the territorial jurisdiction and sovereignty of the UK’