A WESTMINSTER debate on UK arms exports to Israel has been cancelled – while a debate on how National Grid proposals may impact on north east Lincolnshire will go ahead.
The last-minute change to the House of Commons schedule was made by the UK Government after Rishi Sunak called a General Election.
With the UK-wide vote coming on July 4, Parliament is to be prorogued on Friday May 24 and will be dissolved on May 30.
The Westminster business schedule was updated to remove a “general debate on UK arms exports to Israel”.
However, an adjournment debate on the “potential impact of National Grid proposals on the environment and economy of North East Lincolnshire” will still go ahead.
SNP MP Philippa Whitford commented on social media: “With the ongoing death toll of civilians in Rafah and Gaza, I’m disappointed today’s debate, on suspending arms sales to Israel, has been cancelled.”
The parliamentary press office said business changes were an issue for the office of Leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt. That office has been approached for comment.
Whitford further shared a letter signed by more than 100 parliamentarians calling on Foreign Secretary David Cameron to see the UK Government “do all it can” to support the International Criminal Court (ICC) after its chief prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Chief prosecutor Karim Khan (below) also requested arrest warrants for three Hamas leader and Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister.
The UK Government has claimed that the ICC does not have the “jurisdiction” to seek to prosecute crimes in Palestine – but it does.
The letter, which Whitford has signed, reads: “We urge you to condemn any threats and attempts to undermine the independence and impartiality of the International Criminal Court in its investigations into crimes in Gaza.
"We also call on the UK Government to do all it can to support the court in ensuring accountability and justice for the victims of these crimes.
“As you know, the ICC, governed by the Rome Statute, was established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
“The ICC has the mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. This mandate includes the situation in Palestine and, since 2021, the Office of the Prosecutor has been investigating crimes alleged to have been committed there by all actors over the past decade.”
The UK Government has faced down repeated calls to stop arms exports to Israel amid concerns that they are being used to commit war crimes.
Cameron has claimed that the Tories are acting in accordance with legal advice.
