OXFAM has challenged the Labour government to “stop aiding and abetting Israel as it continues to break international humanitarian law” in Gaza.
The aid organisation also took aim at Foreign Secretary David Lammy for not yet acting to address the “moral disconnect” between urging for a ceasefire and not halting UK arms sales to Israel.
It comes after an Israeli airstrike killed at least 90 people in a supposed safezone over the weekend. A 2000lb bomb was dropped from Israeli jets that the UK continues to provide components for.
Lammy also recently attended a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority PM Mohammad Mustafa, where he called for an immediate ceasefire but when asked about the arms sales, he said he would “look at the assessment and the legal considerations”.
“That process has begun and I hope to report to Parliament as soon as I possibly can," he added.
An Oxfam spokesperson said: “When in opposition, the Labour Party committed to be an upholder of international law. Now in government, we must see them act on their words and immediately stop aiding and abetting Israel as it continues to break international humanitarian law.
“Warm words from the Foreign Secretary are not enough to help the two million people in Gaza at risk of death and disease every day. We need to see action from the UK starting with an immediate end to all arms exports and the urgent restarting of funding to UNRWA.”
The National exclusively reported last week that the UK Government is facing fresh pressure to ban weapons exports to Israel after Keir Starmer’s own top legal adviser said the country is breaking international law.
The Prime Minister appointed leading KC Richard Hermer to be the Attorney General for England and Wales. Among other responsibilities, this makes him the UK Government’s “principal legal adviser [on] questions of international law”.
According to its export policy, the UK Government must block the supply of weapons to a nation if there is “a clear risk” that the items might be used to commit or facilitate “internal repression” or “a serious violation of international humanitarian law”.
Last year, Hermer was one of a group of top Jewish lawyers who, in an open letter to the FT, stressed that Israel had to follow international law in its response to the Hamas attacks of October 7.
Speaking to LBC after signing the letter, Hermer said Israel’s siege of Gaza was “very, very difficult to reconcile with obligations of international law – and that is a deliberate understatement”.
