LONDON: A coalition of over 600 British jurists, including three former Supreme Court judges, lawyers, academics, and retired senior judges, has cautioned that the United Kingdom’s arms sales to Israel contravene international law, as reported by Irish media on Wednesday evening.
In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, published by the Irish Times daily, the jurists expressed concern over the UK’s continued sale of weapons and weapons systems to Israel amidst escalating conflict in the region. While acknowledging the UK government’s calls for a cessation of hostilities and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, the letter stressed that these efforts fall short of its obligations under international law.
Citing the International Court of Justice’s determination of a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, the letter urged the UK to take immediate action to halt activities contributing to such grave violations. Failure to fulfill obligations under the genocide convention, it warned, would incur UK state responsibility for international wrongdoing, necessitating full reparation.
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Notably, the signatories of the letter include esteemed figures such as former Supreme Court justices Lord Sumption and Lord Wilson, along with former Lord Justices of Appeal Sir Stephen Sedley, Sir Alan Moses, Sir Anthony Hooper, and Sir Richard Aikens. Additionally, former Chair of the Bar of England and Wales, Matthias Kelly KC, lent his support to the letter.
The ongoing Israeli conflict, now in its 181st day, has resulted in the internal displacement of 85 per cent of Gaza’s population, exacerbating shortages of essential resources such as food, clean water, and medicine. Furthermore, UN reports indicate that 60 per cent of the enclave’s infrastructure has suffered damage or destruction.
At the International Court of Justice, Israel faces accusations of genocide, with the court urging the nation to take decisive action to prevent famine in Gaza.
