Response to outrageous UK government publication
Following their latest brutal attacks on Gaza and on-going ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem, almost 400,000 people signed a petition calling for the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel. Although supporters of Palestine didn’t have high expectations of the current Westminister government, we were outraged to read the formal response published last week. Below is our reponse (in bold) to the vacuous and offensive UK government publication.
The UK is firmly opposed to boycotts or sanctions against Israel. Our close and varied relationship means we are able to express clearly when we disagree.
The last 73 years of being ‘able to express clearly when we disagree’ has done nothing to protect Palestinian rights or lives. The shameful lack of action by the UK government – and worse, the use of the UK’s veto to actively block UN action – makes the UK government complicit in every latest Israeli atrocity.
HM Government has made its position on sanctions clear. While we do not hesitate to express disagreement with Israel whenever we feel it necessary, we are firmly opposed to boycotts or sanctions. We believe that open and honest discussions, rather than the imposition of sanctions or supporting anti-Israeli boycotts, best supports our efforts to help progress the peace process and achieve a negotiated solution.
This is the same flawed strategy that saw Britain resolutely oppose tough sanctions on apartheid South Africa, including blocking action by the UN. For decades the UK put its own strategic and economic priorities before human rights. Margaret Thatcher was eventually forced to take action (despite branding Nelson Mandela a ‘terrorist’), but history does not judge UK governments kindly in their long support of the apartheid governments of South Africa. The civil anti-apartheid boycott movement were on the right side of history.
HM Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. We consider all export applications thoroughly against a strict risk assessment framework. We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and keep all licences under careful and continual review as standard.
UK arms export controls are anything but robust. Britain has approved exports of military goods to 80% of the countries on its own Department for International Trade (DIT) ‘embargoed, sanctioned or trade restricted’ list in just over five years (1) (2). Of the 30 countries listed on the UK Foreign Office ‘Countries of Concern’ list (human rights priority countries, which includes Israel)(3) export licences for military goods have been approved for 27 – including Israel. (4)
The latest ‘Countries of Concern’ annual report (2020) recognises that…
“The human rights situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories remained of concern. The Coalition Agreement of the new Government of Israel (GoI) announced the possibility of bringing forward annexation of parts of the West Bank from 1 July. The UK remains strongly opposed to annexation, which would be contrary to international law. Israeli settlement activity continued and included announced advancements in E1 and Givat HaMatos. Despite COVID-19, settler violence and Israeli demolitions of Palestinian property in East Jerusalem and Area C continued at a similar pace to 2019. Concerns remained over the use of excessive force by Israeli Security Forces, and the fatal shooting of disabled Palestinian Iyad Hallaq by Israeli Border Police in Jerusalem drew wide condemnation. Overall, 21 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, including 19 by live ammunition. One Israeli soldier was killed by Palestinians. The number of Palestinian minors held in Israeli military detention fell, with 151 held at the end of June.” (3)
...yet UK arms sales to Israel continue to rise. Between 2016 and 2020, the UK issued Single Individual Export Licenses (SIELs) for arms sales to Israel to a value of £387 million, compared to just £67 million from 2011 to 2015. (5)
The UK welcomed the recent announcement of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza on 20 May, which is an important step to ending the cycle of violence and loss of civilian life. During the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the region on 26 May he reiterated the UK’s firm commitment to the two-state solution as the best way to permanently end the occupation, deliver Palestinian self-determination and preserve Israel’s security and democratic identity. The UK will continue our intensive diplomatic efforts in the region, focussed on creating the conditions for a sustainable peace.
Diplomatic pressure has had absolutely no effect in the past 73 years and is useless until backed by sanctions that have a direct impact on Israel.
Israel is an important strategic partner for the UK and we collaborate on issues of defence and security. Our commitment to Israel’s security is unwavering. The UK unequivocally condemns the firing of rockets at Jerusalem and locations within Israel. We strongly condemn these acts of terrorism by Hamas and other terrorist groups, who must permanently end their incitement and rocket fire against Israel. We are also concerned by reports that Hamas is again using civilian infrastructure and populations as cover for its military operations.
Resorting to criticism of Hamas is simply perpetuating the false equivalency myth. This is not a war, or a conflict between equal forces – the relationship is between a population living under a military occupation and a heavily armed occupying power.
We are clear that all countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend their citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and are calibrated to avoid civilian casualties.
Self-defence does not apply to an occupying state’s agressions against those it occupies - an occupying force does not have a ‘right to self-defence’ . An occupied people however have a right to resist; United Nations resolution 37/43, dated 3 December 1982, references Palestine and “reaffirms the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, including armed struggle.”. (6)
The UK is strongly opposed to the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions Movement against Israel, just as we oppose any calls for boycotts which divide people and reduce understanding.
The main driver for the UK government approach to boycotts and sanctions is not human rights, but political agendas. The British Government shamefully long resisted sanctions and boycotts against apartheid South Africa (as it does now with Israel), yet has been actively supporting the boycott/ sanctions of Cuba for over 60 years.
To quote Palestinian journalist Miriam “When we take the diplomatic road, our people are dragged in a debate over our humanity. When we resist with arms, we are terrorists and killed, when we resist through non-violence, like BDS, we are targeted and vilified, when we protest with our tongues or slaps, we are put in prison.” (7)
The UK position on evictions, demolitions, and settlements is longstanding and clear. We oppose these activities. We urge the Government of Israel to cease its policies related to settlement expansion immediately, and instead work towards a two state solution. Settlements are illegal under international law, and present an obstacle to peace. We want to see a contiguous West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as part of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, based on 1967 borders. Our position was reflected in our support for UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and we continue to urge Israel at the highest level to halt settlement expansion immediately.
Evictions, demolitions and settlement building are not only ongoing, but are increasing. The strategy of ‘urging’ alone is not working.
We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region. Ultimately, it will be the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, but the British Government would neither encourage nor offer support to such activity.
The British Government has an obligation to do more than ‘advise’ UK businesses not to do business with illegal settlements. Settlements are illegal under international law – how can the UK justify leaving it to companies to decide whether they break the law or not??
We have also made clear our concerns about the increasing rate of demolitions and evictions of Palestinians. The UK is focused on preventing demolitions and evictions from happening in the first place through our legal aid programme, which supports Palestinians facing demolition or home eviction.
Demolitions and evictions continue at a higher rate than ever – the UK ‘legal aid programme’ strategy is not working.
As a strong friend of Israel, and one which has stood up for Israel when it faces bias and unreasonable criticism, we are continuing to urge Israel to not take steps such as these, which move us away from our shared goals of peace and security.
The occupation will not end and peace will not be achieved by symbolic measures, but by real movement towards renewed peace negotiations which create a viable Palestinian state, living in peace and security side-by-side with Israel. We will continue to press Israel and the Palestinians strongly on the need to refrain from taking actions, which make peace more difficult. And will continue to encourage further confidence building steps towards meaningful bilateral peace negotiations between the parties.
The UK government may be a ‘strong friend of Israel’, but it is not reflecting public opinion. According to the latest YouGov poll “Of all the countries surveyed, Israel is least favourable amongst Britons, with favourability falling from -14 in February to -41 in May, its lowest rating in Britain since we started asking this question in 2016.” (8)
Sanctions are not ‘symbolic measures’, they are actual powerful measures. ‘Urging’ and ‘advising’ and ‘disagreeing’ are symbolic measures and have had no impact for the past 73 years. Action is needed now.
References
(1) https://aoav.org.uk/2021/uk-approves-military-exports-to-80-of-countries-on-restricted-list/
(2) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/current-arms-embargoes-and-other-restrictions#arms-embargo-trade-sanctions-and-other-trade-restrictions
(3) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-rights-priority-countries-autumn-2020-ministerial-statement/human-rights-priority-countries-ministerial-statement-january-to-june-2020
(4) https://caat.org.uk/data/exports-uk/destination?region=fco-concern&period=uk-may-2016
(5) https://caat.org.uk/data/countries/israel/
(6) https://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/BAC85A78081380FB852560D90050DC5F
(7) https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/international-law-guarantees-palestinians-the-right-to-resist-17810
(8) https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2021/06/04/eurotrack-israels-favourability-falls-following-ga?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=website_article&utm_campaign=israel_favourability_may_2021&fbclid=IwAR3fewqTuKUiWAC7a8cqbZOgHv7peXHHBjk0otLSbA5BMi9DbSCE2zj36Vo