UK Arab community writes to PM condemning Gaza genocide denial

The Arab community in Britain sent a letter to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday regarding his denial of the genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip.

The signatories, who are representatives of the Arab community in the UK, strongly condemned the position taken by the British government, which is characterised by its refusal to recognise the ongoing attack on Gaza as an act of genocide.

The community stated in its letter: “Under international law, genocide is defined not solely by the scale or number of casualties but, critically, by the intent to destroy a people in whole or in part. Despite this legal clarity, the prime minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy have repeatedly failed to apply this definition to the atrocities being committed in Gaza.”

It stressed: “The continued, deliberate attacks on unarmed civilians in places such as hospitals and schools—particularly attacks targeting children and women—constitute the clearest evidence of war crimes, as defined by international laws. These laws establish what constitutes a war crime, including indiscriminate attacks on protected civilian sites and individuals, as laid out in international conventions like the Geneva Conventions.”

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“While certain positive steps taken by the prime minister’s office are appreciated, including support for UNRWA and restrictions on specific arms exports to the occupying state, it is deeply disappointing that an individual with a known record in defending human rights would downplay or deny the gravity of these crimes. The ongoing actions by the Israeli occupation—including forced displacement, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the targeted killing of civilians—clearly meet the definitions of genocide and ethnic cleansing and must be addressed as such by the international community,” the letter asserted.

The signatories urged the prime minister to recognise the gravity of the situation and take the following actions:

1. Formally recognise genocide: Publicly acknowledge that the actions in Gaza constitute acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing, as defined by international law.
2. Strengthen the arms embargo: Commit to a complete and unequivocal halt to all arms exports that could contribute to the conflict, thereby preventing further military support for the Israeli occupation’s operations.
3. Increase diplomatic pressure: Exert maximum diplomatic pressure on the Netanyahu administration to cease military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, as Israel’s actions cannot justify breaching international human rights law.
4. Support legal accountability: Pledge full support for international legal actions against the occupying state, including advocacy for investigations and prosecutions at the International Criminal Court.
5. End the Israeli occupation: As a United Nations (UN) member, the UK must urgently consider measures to ensure Israel’s immediate compliance with its international legal obligations, including adherence to UN Security Council resolutions that call for an end to the occupation.
6. Stop war crimes: Take action based on the 14 September, 2022, report by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which established that Israeli actions amount to the war crime of pillage under Article 8(2)(b)(xvi) and (viii) of the Rome Statute.
7. Uphold international law obligations: The UK, under its extraterritorial human rights obligations, common Article 1 to the Geneva Conventions and Articles 146, 147 and 148 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, must investigate and prosecute persons suspected of committing, aiding, abetting or assisting in crimes under international law within the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
8. Refrain from supporting violations of international law: As a UN member, the UK must refrain from recognising, supporting, encouraging, aiding or assisting in any violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, by Israeli authorities or other groups, in line with obligations under the Geneva Conventions and relevant human rights treaties.

Signatories:

• Adnan Hmidan – Head of the “Arabs in Britain” platform
• Dr Ghada Karmi – Physician and Historian
• Sabah Al-Mukhtar – President of the Arab Lawyers Association
• Raghad Al-Tikriti – Representative of the Muslim Association in Britain
• Reem Kelani – Musician and Artist
• Dr Muhammad Al-Haj Ali – President of the Syrian Welsh Society
• Dr Omar Abdul Mannan – Head of UK Healthcare Workers for Palestine
• Zaher Birawi – Head of the Palestinian Forum in Britain
• Mohammed Kozbar – Director of Finsbury Park Mosque, North London
• Dr Osama Abu Aoun – Consultant and Academic

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