Burnham rejects MPs' call to recognise Gaza genocide

Britain's new government rejects calls from 80 MPs and peers to recognise genocide in Gaza and impose sweeping sanctions on Israel. Burnham issued an 'apology' over his party's stance on Gaza but has not matched it with action [Getty] The new British government has rejected calls from dozens of parliamentarians to recognise Israel's war on Gaza as genocide and impose sanctions on the country. Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government, which took office last Monday, is facing pressure to match its stated commitment to international law with concrete action by recognising what MPs describe as Israel's genocide against Palestinians and holding Israeli leaders accountable. Last week, 80 members of the House of Commons and House of Lords sent Burnham a letter urging him to recognise the findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded that genocide had occurred in the Gaza Strip. The letter, signed by parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, urged the government to "fundamentally change its position in a way that supports the rights of the Palestinian people and prevents Israel's ongoing violations of international law". The initiative was led by Labour MP Kim Johnson. The lawmakers said the new prime minister had "an opportunity to genuinely open a new chapter" in Britain's policy towards Israel's war on Palestinians by implementing international law and the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In July 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was illegal. It also found that Israel was violating international treaties prohibiting racial segregation and apartheid. Under the ruling, all states, including the UK, are required to refrain from actions that aid or assist such serious violations of international law. However, the previous government of Keir Starmer did not implement the ruling, despite repeated calls from parliamentarians, pro-Palestinian campaigners and legal experts to take concrete measures against Israel. The MPs argued that opening this new chapter required "recognising the findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry that Israel is committing genocide, and implementing the ruling of the International Court of Justice". They also urged Burnham's government to "take all reasonable steps to prevent or mitigate the risk of genocide in Gaza", saying the first step should be "the imposition of comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo". They also called for "a ban on all trade in goods and services" with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. However, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office rejected the demands. In comments to The New Arab a spokesperson said Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband had "made clear that the United Kingdom will work tirelessly to achieve a sustainable peace in Palestine and Israel, including ending the appalling suffering of the people of Gaza and ensuring security for Israelis". However, in his first statement after taking office, Miliband did not condemn Israel or hold it responsible for the suffering in Gaza, nor did he describe Israel's actions there as genocide. The spokesperson also did not address the parliamentarians' specific demands. Instead, she said the government had "already imposed four rounds of sanctions on entities and individuals who supported or enabled settler violence in the West Bank". She added that Britain was the first country to sanction Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. However, those measures were announced in a joint statement with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway on 10 June 2024. According to that statement, the sanctions targeted Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in their personal capacities, rather than in their ministerial roles, over "their incitement of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank". The five countries said they had "engaged extensively with the Israeli government on this issue, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity". Despite the sanctions, the two ministers have continued to support settler violence in the occupied West Bank. Related Articles