SNP Middle East spokesperson MP has demanded an end to
arms sales to Israel after a major new Amnesty International
report concludes that Israel is committing a genocide in
Gaza.
The highly respected human rights NGO found that Israel's actions
in response to the atrocities of October 7th had breached the
Genocide Convention.
Amnesty's report concludes that the evidence gathered provided
basis to say that Israel "committed and is committing
genocide." With Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International's
Secretary General, adding that "this is genocide. It must stop
now."
Sir Keir Starmer's government has faced intense scrutiny
following the ruling by the International Court of Justice which
found sufficient evidence that there was a plausible case that
Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza.
The ruling required all signatories of the Genocide Convention to
act to prevent the genocide in Gaza with signatories also
required to make continuous assessments on whether a genocide is
taking place. The UK Government failed to fulfil those
obligations.
Now, Mr O'Hara has written to the Prime Minister calling for the
Labour Government to end all arms sales to Israel and honour its
legal obligations under the Genocide Convention.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, MP said:
“This is a hugely significant report and given Amnesty
International's credibility and the vast experience they have in
this field, I'm sure you will agree that it is not something
which can be dismissed.
“The inescapable conclusion reached by Amnesty International is
that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and it appears that
rather than acting to prevent it, your government, by its
actions, is facilitating the Israeli military in Gaza.
“UK government lawyers recently revealed that they have known
since December 2023 that Israel is breaching international
humanitarian law. That means that for a whole year the UK
government has had sufficient information to come to the same
conclusion that Amnesty now has.
“Yet, despite having this information available, you and the
Foreign Secretary have decided that the UK government will remain
a steadfast ally of Israel, as they continue to conduct what
Amnesty, and others, have described as a genocide in Gaza. Your
facilitation of this is indisputable through your continued
provision of F-35 components and through the shield of impunity
which you continue to offer Netanyahu.”
Mr O'Hara added:
“Either you are categorically choosing to ignore your
international legal obligations to assess and prevent genocide,
or you know what the world has for over a year, and what Amnesty
has now confirmed, and are taking the decision to ignore it. In
either event, the ICJ and ICC, and now Amnesty International have
come to conclusions which you can no longer credibly
ignore."
Mr O'Hara concluded:
“Today Israel, one of the UK closest allies, stands accused of
genocide by the ICJ, the highest court on the international
stage, and by Amnesty International, one of the most respected
and trusted human rights organisations on the planet. Israel's
Prime Minister and former Defence Minister are wanted war
criminals on charges of war crimes and crimes against
humanity.
“Prime Minister, is Amnesty International, and all the others who
accuse Israel of genocide wrong? And, if what is happening in
Gaza is not a genocide, then what is it?”
ENDS
Notes:
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/israel-opt-amnesty-research-shows-israel-committing-genocide-against-palestinians
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/8668/2024/en/
