In 1994, the world failed to stop genocide in Rwanda. In 1995, we failed in Sbrebrenica. Today, in Gaza, we are again being tested. We must act now!
Archiv: House of Commons (UK) / legislative branch
British MPs urge UN-led military intervention to stop genocide in Gaza
Five British MPs have written to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urging the government to „urgently pursue UN-led military intervention“ to stop Israel‘s genocide in Gaza.
The letter by independent MP Adnan Hussain has been signed by three of his fellow members of the parliamentary Independent Alliance – Ayoub Khan, Iqbal Mohamed and Shockat Adam – as well as Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George.
Despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Israel’s President Herzog is due to visit the UK in the coming days. Today I joined @AndyMcDonaldMP & other MPs to ask the PM how this visit complies with UK obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
More than 60 MPs have just spoken out against Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s UK visit
More than 60 parliamentarians have written to the prime minister expressing their grave concern at reports that the Labour Party government is to welcome Israeli President Isaac Herzog on a visit to London from Tuesday 9 September.
In the letter, they stated that the UK, as a state party to the 1948 Genocide Convention, has a binding responsibility not only to refrain from committing genocide itself, but:
also to take active steps to prevent and punish genocide and incitement to it wherever it occurs. This obligation includes ensuring that individuals credibly implicated in the commission or incitement of such crimes are not afforded political legitimacy or hospitality by our government.
Francesca Albanese to contribute to Corbyn ‚Gaza tribunal‘ on UK complicity in genocide
Albanese‘s involvement was confirmed by Corbyn during an appearance by the veteran politician at a fringe event at the Edinburgh festival on Saturday.
The UN special rapporteur will be asked for comment on the use of RAF bases in Cyprus to help Israel‘s military.
Set to take place in September, the tribunal follows Corbyn‘s unsuccessful attempts to pass legislation in parliament for an independent public tribunal.
Those attempts were blocked by the ruling Labour party.
Letter urges Prime Minister to recall Parliament over Gaza emergency
(August 18, 2025)
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to recall Parliament to “impose immediate sanctions” on Israel in a joint letter signed by politicians in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The letter urges the Prime Minister to “act now” to exert pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza.
It has been signed by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Claire Hanna, the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and the convener of the party’s Holyrood group Stuart McMillan.
Politicians sign letter urging PM to ‚act now‘ over Gaza
(August 19, 2025)
Parties joining in the SDLP-led letter include Sinn Féin, Alliance, the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and People Before Profit.
The letter calls for Parliament to be recalled as well as urgent diplomatic intervention and an end to arms sales to Israel.
It is understood Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will respond to the letter in due course.
Starmers Palästina-Anerkennung schlägt Wellen
Letzte Woche prangerte der Tory-Abgeordnete Kit Malthouse die Regierung wegen ihrer „Tatenlosigkeit“ und „Feigheit“ im Angesicht der israelischen Kriegsführung an. Er fragte Außenminister David Lammy, ob er sich nicht bewusst sei, dass er aufgrund seiner Unterstützung Israels „in Den Haag landen könnte“ – eine Anspielung auf den internationalen Strafgerichtshof.
Wenige Tage später unterzeichneten rund 220 Abgeordnete aus neun Parteien – 131 davon Labour – einen offenen Brief, in dem sie die Anerkennung Palästinas als Staat forderten.
Dear Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, Re. UK recognition of a Palestinian state
We write to you in advance of the UN Conference co-chaired by France and Saudi
Arabia on the 28th-29th July in New York, to put on record our support for UK recognition of a Palestinian state.
We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government
outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality.
Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN Security Council, so we urge you to take this step.
British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine. Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate.
More than 220 UK lawmakers urge PM to recognise Palestinian state
A letter sent to the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday, urging him to recognise a Palestinian state and follow in France‘s footsteps, has been signed by 221 members of parliament thus far.
The MPs represent all four of the major parties in Britain: Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish National Party.
Conservatives SLAM Israel‘s slaughter in Gaza, demand Labour act now
(June 4, 2025)
Gaza has become „an abattoir where starving people are lured out through combat zones to be shot at“, says Kit Malthouse, a Tory MP.
„If the situation were reversed, we would now be mobilising the British armed forces as part of an international protection force“, he adds.
Parliamentarians call for an embargo on arms to Israel
I have written a public letter to the Foreign Secretary and the Business Secretary, with the support of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, calling for an embargo on arms to Israel and greater transparency in UK arms exports. 57 MPs and Lords have signed it.
This follows the Adjournment Debate on arms exports to Israel I held last month, which you can read about here.
Repeated calls for greater transparency from the government have so far gone unanswered. The bare minimum we can do is be fully honest about what we are sending to a state involved in the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians.
The components which create the fighter jets that Israel has used to level Gaza are 15% British-made – we cannot hide from that. Without British arms export licenses, these jets could not fly, they could not drop their bombs.
The government must impose an embargo on arms to Israel or risk being complicit in genocide.
Read the full letter below. You can use the arrows to scroll through.
Palestine Action spraying paint is not terrorism. As ministers abuse their powers, I feel a duty to speak out
(June 30, 2025)
In Gaza, the world is watching the most heinous acts of violence that I have witnessed in my lifetime. It is as if the skin has been ripped off the face of humanity to reveal terrifying depths of sadism and depravity.
I am intensely aware of this thought: I do not want to find myself at the end of my life looking back at this time regretting that I could have done something and didn’t – that I was too frightened to speak out, or to act. Palestine Action and its supporters will have no such regrets. Our current British government, however, may well.
Palestine Action is not a terrorist organisation
(June 28, 2025)
There is an overwhelming consensus that terrorism involves the use or threat of violence against civilians for a political purpose.
So says JUSTICE, the UK section of the International Commission of Jurists.
Jewish Voice for Labour sees no legitimate grounds for the UK government declaring Palestine Action a ‘terrorist organisation’. There is no shred of evidence that Palestine Action has ever, or has ever intended to, endanger the lives of British civilians, or indeed anyone. But for political and deeply flawed reasons, the Government has decided to attempt to apply the law on charges of “serious damage to property…to advance a political cause”.
It seems that Palestine Action stands convicted, in the eyes of the government, of conspiring to save Palestinian lives.
UK government designates Palestine Action a ‚terrorist organisation‘
British MPs have voted 385 to 26 in favour of legislation to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.
The designation makes it a criminal act to support the group and places it in the same category as violent groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
The order is expected to come into effect later this week. Once it does, supporting Palestine Action will become a criminal offence, with membership or expressing support for the direct action group punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Legal action is being taken to temporarily block the order, with a hearing scheduled for Friday at London‘s High Court.
Attempted removal of Ayman Odeh from the Israeli Knesset
EDM (Early Day Motion) 695: tabled on 24 January 2025
Tabled in the 2024-25 session.
This motion has been signed by 10 Members. It has not yet had any amendments submitted.
Motion text
That this House expresses deep concern regarding the efforts of Israeli coalition and opposition politicians to oust MK Ayman Odeh from the Knesset; joins Odeh in welcoming the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal which enabled the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian hostages and abductees; supports the sentiment of Palestinians and Israelis being freed from the burden of occupation and building a shared future; notes that, of the 90 Palestinians hostages most recently released by Israel, 69 were women, 21 were children, and most had been held without charge or trial; acknowledges the existence of myriad political mechanisms that enable the targeting, exclusion, and marginalisation of Palestinian-Israeli members of the Knesset, including the conflation of one’s support for Palestinian rights with support for terrorism or incitement to violence; further notes the similar employment of the impeachment process against MK Ofer Cassif, as a result of his signing a petition in support of the South Africa’s case forwarded in the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza; believes in the value of maintaining a representative democracy that encompasses a broad array of political, social, and ethnic creeds; and calls on the Government to vehemently oppose any efforts by Israeli parliamentarians to further solidify an ethnocratic, apartheid state, and deny the Palestinian population’s right to self-determination through the rooting out of democratically elected officials that represent their cause.
Channel 4 to broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack
(June 28, 2025)
Channel 4 has announced it will broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack on Wednesday 2nd July at 10pm.
The one-off documentary, produced by Basement Films, examines allegations that Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted hospitals and healthcare workers during the Gaza conflict in breach of international law.
Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is a forensic investigation into Israeli military attacks on hospitals in Gaza. It also examines allegations of the targeting and abuse of doctors and healthcare workers in Gaza. Every one of Gaza’s 36 main hospitals has now been attacked or destroyed by Israel, with people forced to evacuate and healthcare workers reportedly killed, imprisoned and tortured.
The film was originally commissioned for the BBC but has been fact-checked and complied by Channel 4 to ensure it meets Channel 4 editorial standards and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
(…)
The broadcaster’s distinctive remit is set by Parliament, and it has a role to represent unheard voices, challenge with purpose and reinvent entertainment. For more than 40 years, it has been a British success story, engaging generation after generation of young people.
UK ‚currently‘ training Israel soldiers on UK soil, Labour admit
The news came in response to a written question at Westminster, put in by Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell. (…)
Pollard said: “As part of routine defence engagement with Israel, the UK is currently training a limited number of Israel Defense Forces personnel on UK-based training courses.”
The news comes despite the Labour Government sanctioning two Israeli ministers – Itamar Ben-Gvir, the security minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister.
The UK Government has also continued to send military equipment to Israel, and has declined to block exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets despite evidence that they have been used in Gaza.
Red Line for Palestine: Protesters Stretch Giant Banner Around Parliament Demanding Arms Embargo
During Prime Minister’s Questions, demonstrators in red gathered outside Parliament to form a striking visual protest against UK arms sales to Israel. A massive red line was stretched around the building, symbolising public demand for an arms embargo and immediate sanctions. Organised by several pro-Palestinian and anti-war groups, the action called attention to Britain’s complicity in the ongoing conflict.
MK Aida Touma-Sliman: Decision to Bar French Lawmakers Entry is Outrageous
“Israel’s decision to bar your entry to the country is both outrageous and predictable. Alongside the genocidal war in Gaza, we in Israel have witnessed, over the past 18 months, a rapid descent into dictatorship and fascism,” said Hadash MK Aida Touma-Sliman in a letter sent Monday, April 21, to French lawmakers.
“The politicians targeted are consistently from the political left, known for advocating for the rights of Palestinians as well as Israelis. I was about to meet with them during the visit and update them about the dangerous processes in Israel today.”
Israel cancels visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers ahead of visit
Israel‘s government cancelled visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers and local officials two days before they were to start a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Sunday, the group said.
The action came only days after Israel stopped two British members of parliament from the governing Labour party from entering the country.
Furious row after Labour MPs denied entry to Israel – as Lammy criticises ‚disgraceful‘ Badenoch response
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticised Ms Badenoch‘s comments, writing in a post on X: „It‘s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs. Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China?“
Ms Badenoch retorted, saying: „Unlike China, Israel is our ally and a democracy. A good Foreign Sec would be able to make that distinction.“
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch slammed for siding with Israel over UK MPs in deportation row
In an interview with the BBC‘s Laura Kuenssberg, the Tory leader threw her support behind Israel‘s decision, arguing that „every country should be allowed to police its own borders“.
The MPs were travelling to the occupied West Bank, which the UK government recognises as occupied Palestinian territory.
„If you look at the reasons why the Israeli government has given for why they’re not letting them in, they don’t believe that they’re going to comply with their laws,“ Badenoch added.
Two MPs ‚astounded‘ after being denied entry to Israel
Two Labour MPs say they are „astounded“ to have been denied entry to Israel while on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank.
Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang said it was „vital“ parliamentarians were able to witness the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory first-hand.
Israel Turns Away 2 British Lawmakers
Britain and Israel traded sharp criticisms this weekend after Israel blocked two British lawmakers from entering the country and sent them back to London.
The members of Parliament, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, both of whom belong to the governing center-left Labour Party, said in a joint statement on Sunday that they had been “astounded” to be denied entry to Israel the previous day.
UK army chief: We’re ready to fight Putin in Eastern Europe
„If the British Army was asked to fight tonight, it would fight tonight,“ Rob Magowan, the deputy chief of the British defense staff, told the House of Commons defense committee. „I don‘t think anybody in this room should be under any illusion that if the Russians invaded Eastern Europe tonight, then we would meet them in that fight.“
The striking comments came as MPs asked Magowan Thursday how many British brigades could get to NATO‘s eastern flank in the event of a major escalation by Russia.
‘Unacceptable’ – British PM, Foreign Secretary Claim Israel Not Committing Genocide
Lammy recently alleged that the term genocide referred to “when millions of people lost their lives in crises like Rwanda, the Second World War in the Holocaust” and that using it to describe Gaza “now undermines (its) seriousness”.
(…)
“Will the Prime Minister share (Lammy’s) definition of genocide with this House?” the lawmaker asked Starmer.
The prime minister answered by saying that “it would be wise to start a question like that by reference to what happened in October of last year”.
“I’m well aware of the definition of genocide, and that is why I’ve never described this as and referred to it as genocide,” he added.
UK urged to share Gaza spy planes footage with ICC war crimes probe
(October 30, 2024)
The defence ministry told Middle East Eye: “As a matter of principle, we only provide intelligence to our allies where we are satisfied that it will be used in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, and in this instance, only information relating to hostage rescue is passed to the Israeli authorities.”
(…)
Brendan O’Hara, the Scottish National Party’s spokesperson for the Middle East, told MEE it was “inconceivable”, given the scale of the destruction and death in Gaza, that the flights “do not contain footage which would be of significant interest to the investigators from the International Criminal Court”.
(…)
Labour MP Rachael Maskell told MEE: “It is crucial that any intelligence of breaches of international law are shared with the courts so they can assess the evidence and secure justice.”
“I trust that the UK government is working with the international courts to aid them in their work.”
Israeli drones shooting children in Gaza deliberately ‚day after day‘, UK surgeon tells MPs
A retired NHS surgeon who recently returned from working at a hospital in Gaza said he treated children „day after day after day“ who had been deliberately targeted by Israeli drones following bomb attacks.
In harrowing testimony to British MPs on Tuesday, Nizam Mamode said of all the conflicts he had worked in, including the genocide in Rwanda, he and other experienced colleagues in Gaza had „never seen anything on this scale ever“.
He said at least once or twice daily, there were „mass casualty incidents,“ meaning that 10 to 20 people were killed and up to 40 seriously injured. He estimated that at least 60 percent of the people treated at these times were women and children.
UK: More than 100 Muslim Labour councillors demand complete arms embargo on Israel
The letter by the Muslim councillors adds to pressure mounting on the British government from within the Labour Party to take stronger action against Israel.
Last week, 51 British MPs from seven political parties backed a parliamentary motion calling for the Labour government to take measures against Israel.
Described as “the most lethal fighter jet in the world”, every Israeli F-35 is made in part here in the UK. I, alongside 36 MPs, have written to the government raising concerns about complicity in violations of international law by not suspending export licences for F-35 parts:
UK: Independent pro-Gaza MPs announce formal alliance as parliamentary group
Corbyn told Middle East Eye on Monday: „We were elected to Parliament to represent our communities – and today‘s announcement is about making sure their demands are properly represented.
„A collective voice is a stronger voice. We will ensure the government knows the true scale of public disgust over its continued, shameful refusal to end arms sales to Israel.
Workers Party of Britain
The Workers Party of Britain (WPB), also called the Workers Party of Great Britain (WPGB) or Workers Party GB,[13][14][15] is a socialist political party in the United Kingdom, formed in December 2019 and led by George Galloway, the Member of Parliament for Rochdale since a 2024 by-election.