Corbyn-Led Tribunal Condemns UK Over Gaza Actions
An unofficial tribunal, co-chaired by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn alongside international law experts Shahd Hammouri and Neve Gordon, has declared the UK government complicit in crimes committed by Israel in Gaza and the desecration of international law. The tribunal's report, set for publication on Monday, asserts that Britain has failed to meet its legal duty to prevent genocide, potentially influencing the upcoming local elections in May.
Legal Findings and Government Failures
The tribunal, which gathered testimony from lawyers, medical professionals, former Foreign Office officials, and Palestinians, focused on whether the UK should have severed cooperation with Israel to avoid accusations of complicity. It concluded that the government should have halted all arms exports, ceased intelligence sharing, and reviewed trade relations, especially after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion in July 2024 deeming Israel's occupation of Palestine unlawful.
The report states: "Britain's failure to meet its legal obligations has contributed to the mass killing of Palestinian civilians and the wholesale destruction of civilian objects, the desecration of international law and the further erosion of Britain's status as a nation committed to the rule of law in the international arena." It further alleges that the UK not only neglected its duty but in some instances actively participated in acts of genocide.
Government Response and ICJ Rulings
In response, the Foreign Office highlighted that it has imposed three sets of sanctions in response to settler violence in the West Bank and opposes all forms of forced displacement. Middle East minister Hamish Falconer told MPs that the government plans to update parliament on issues related to the ICJ advisory opinion, emphasizing the need for accountability and justice for crimes in Palestinian and Israeli territories.
The ICJ has not yet held a full hearing on genocide in Gaza, but in January 2024, it warned of a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to Palestinians' rights. The tribunal's report argues that this ruling placed all states on clear notice to take action beyond mere expressions of concern, criticizing the UK for allowing contractual obligations to US arms manufacturers to override fundamental duties.
Methodology and Recommendations
The 112-page report also claims that the ICJ advisory opinion imposes a legal duty on the UK to abstain from trade dealings with Israel concerning occupied territories, particularly if such trade entrenches Israel's unlawful presence. It criticizes the government's self-imposed methodology, which required justification for specific attacks in Gaza, leading to a finding of definitive breaches in only one of 413 cases examined.
The report notes: "This perverse approach required the government to examine the impact of an individual strike on a hospital, but not the lawfulness of the decimation of the whole healthcare system." Falconer defended this by stating that assessing individual incidents requires sensitive information often unavailable to the government.
Recommendations from the tribunal include releasing all licensing data, publishing legal advice on genocide prevention, establishing a full public inquiry, and providing the ICJ with surveillance footage from RAF overflights of Gaza.
Political Implications and Local Elections
The findings are expected to be leveraged by left-wing groups to attack Labour in the local elections. A Vote Palestine 2026 campaign, backed by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, is pushing for Gaza to be a key issue, noting that local councils invest billions in Israel. Over 1,200 council candidates have signed the PSC's commitment to Palestine, with local pacts encouraging independents and Green parties to target Labour councillors.
Your Party, led by Corbyn, announced it will campaign vigorously on Gaza and Palestine, urging councils to divest from Israel. In his preface to the report, Corbyn asserts that it "will help cement Labour's legacy as an active participant in one of the great crimes of our time."
