Over 60 British MPs call for ‘comprehensive sanctions’ on Israel

More than 60 British lawmakers from across seven parties have called on British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to impose “comprehensive sanctions” on Israel over its “repeated violations of international law.” 

Organized by lawmakers Richard Burgon and Imran Hussain, the letter was sent to Lammy on Wednesday night, reports aid on Thursday.

The letter cited the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s advisory opinion from July, which declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and demanded the Tel Aviv regime end the occupation immediately.

“The court also found that all states, including the UK, have obligations to not recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory and to not render any aid or assistance in maintaining this,” the letter read.

During the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, known in Israel as the Six Days War, Israel occupied East al-Quds and the West Bank, and has housed more than 700,000 Israelis in some 280 settlements in occupied Palestinian territories since then.

This is while all Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. The United Nations Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.

On July 19, the ICJ in The Hague issued a momentous advisory opinion, stressing that the entire occupation in 1967 is unlawful and that Israel’s settlement policy is in breach of the Geneva Convention.

According to the non-binding ruling, the Tel Aviv regime must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, and the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and all countries have an obligation to not recognize Israel’s occupation as legal.

ICJ recent ruling against Israel mandates Palestinian return to 1967 lands: Legal experts

Legal experts say the ‘landmark’ opinion issued on Friday by the ICJ necessitates Israel to facilitate the return of Palestinians to their lands occupied by the Zionist regime since 1967.

“We write to urge the UK government to impose sanctions and take other concrete steps to give effect to the landmark opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel’s continuing illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory,” the lawmakers further stressed in their letter.

They also called on the British government to prohibit trade with illegal settlements, reassess existing and upcoming trade agreements with Israel, and halt all arms transfers to the occupying regime.

“The UK government has repeatedly stated that it is committed to international law. Acting in support of the ICJ advisory opinion would be a critical step in demonstrating that commitment,” the letter added.

Back in September, the Labour government suspended 30 out of 350 export licenses for arms sales to Israel.

Last month, Lammy announced new sanctions against three Israeli settler outposts and four organizations he said were responsible for “heinous abuses of human rights” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. 

This is while the letter calls on the UK to go significantly further and impose comprehensive sanctions on Tel Aviv.

Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent state with East al-Quds as its capital. 

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