International Legal Professionals Urge UK Sanctions Against Israel Due to Gaza Conflict

Over 800 lawyers, academics, and former judges have penned a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel's government and ministers due to alleged humanitarian violations and genocide in the Gaza Strip.

In the open letter published on Monday, the signatories call for immediate action to halt "serious violations of international law" being perpetrated by Israel. They express concern that genocide is being committed in Gaza, or there is a substantial risk of it occurring, along with allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and breaches of international humanitarian law.

The UK government is urged to respond promptly given the need for "urgent and decisive action" to prevent the potential destruction of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The letter draws attention to recent comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who expressed his intent to gain control over the entire Gaza Strip and eradicate Hamas.

The letter, signed by senior legal figures including former supreme court and court of appeal judges, references a joint statement by the leaders of the UK, France, and Canada denouncing the intolerable suffering in Gaza, and offering a hopeful indication that these governments are prepared to act.

In response, the UK government is asked to adhere to its international legal obligations, imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers and other officials believed to have involvement in unlawful conduct, reviewing existing trade ties, imposing trade sanctions, and suspending the roadmap for a closer UK-Israel partnership.

Last week, the UK suspended negotiations for a new trade deal with Israel. The letter also calls on the UK to honor its promise to enforce International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant arrests related to Israel's actions in Gaza. To date, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant face war crimes and crimes against humanity warrants issued by the ICC.

High-profile signatories of the letter include Sir Alan Moses, a former appeals court judge, who remarked that the UK cannot expect peace unless it upholds its international legal responsibilities. Another signatory stated that Israel's ongoing disregard of international law poses a threat to the future of international law itself.

In 2021, a similar open letter from UK lawyers stated that the UK was violating international law by arming Israel. Israel's ongoing conflict in Gaza has reportedly resulted in over 61,700 fatalities, according to the latest death toll update by the Government Media Office, with many still missing and presumed dead beneath the rubble.

The recent open letter published by over 800 legal figures, including former judges, calls for the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel due to alleged human rights violations in the Gaza Strip, categorizing the situation as a potential genocide.
The letter, signed by prominent legal figures, encourages the UK government to take decisive action, arguing that serious violations of international law are being perpetrated by Israel, and emphasizes the pressing need for a halt to these actions.
The letter draws attention to the UK's international legal obligations, urging the government to suspend trade negotiations, impose trade sanctions, and review existing trade ties with Israel, in light of the unlawful conduct of certain Israeli ministers and officials.
The open letter also requests the UK government to honor its promise to enforce International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant arrests related to Israel's actions in Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant facing war crimes and crimes against humanity warrants issued by the ICC.