A coalition of peers, former ambassadors, and senior lawyers has issued a stark warning that the United Kingdom's commitment to international law is being tested by its response to the situation in Palestine. In a letter published in response to Pippa Crerar's article on Labour's 'reset moment' over Gaza, the signatories argue that the government must take concrete steps to end the occupation and hold Israel accountable for alleged violations.
ICJ Opinion and UK Stance
Two years ago, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advised that the 1967 occupation of Palestine is unlawful. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who worked to uphold international law on Ukraine, has recognised the state of Palestine alongside Israel and confirmed that the occupation is unlawful. However, the signatories note that the government has yet to issue a formal assessment of the ICJ opinion, and steps to end the occupation are urgently needed.
"No state that values the decisions of UN bodies should prolong it," the letter states. The UK relies on due process for international affairs, and challenging the 'might is right' fallacy is in the national interest. Lord Denning once observed that "the rules of international law … do form part of our English law," underscoring the intertwined nature of domestic and international legal systems.
Trade with Settlements and Economic Measures
The letter highlights that trade in goods and services with illegal settlements prolongs the occupation, with Israel deriving economic benefit from stolen land. The signatories call for a ban on settlement trade, including financial services, arguing that the measures taken against Russia should apply to Israel, which is breaking the same laws. Israel, they assert, should be held to account for ethnic cleansing and worse in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to the group, diplomacy that ignores the law is ill-advised. The UN Security Council, including the UK, has outsourced Gaza to the Board of Peace, prolonging the suffering of 2 million Palestinians. There is a duty to protect civilians, but Israel does the opposite. As the Archbishop of Canterbury said, "we must not look away."
Call for Action on Humanitarian Access
The signatories urge the government to act with partners to secure unrestricted access for food, medicines, and temporary accommodation, with consequences if access is denied. They note that the October 2025 'ceasefire' has not ended the violence, and MPs and international journalists have been denied access. The UK government's inconsistency undermines the laws on which we rely, they conclude.
The letter is signed by Vincent Fean, former consul-general in Jerusalem; Helena Kennedy KC, Labour member of the House of Lords; John Kerr, crossbencher and former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office; Dominic Grieve KC; Peter Hain, Labour peer; and former ambassadors Jeremy Greenstock, Emyr Jones Parry, David Manning, and William Patey.
