'Sanction Israel, launch war crimes investigation' demand Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh MPs - Mathilda Heller

 

by Mathilda Heller

The letter added that, given the UK is party to the Genocide Convention, it has an "obligation to prevent acts that may amount to genocide."

 

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a statement inside No. 10 Downing Street on the day the cabinet was recalled to discuss the situation in Gaza, in London, Britain, July 29, 2025.

(photo credit: TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS) 

A cross section of lawmakers from the regional Scottish, Northern Irish, and Welsh parliaments and their representatives at Westminster wrote to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday urging him to impose immediate sanctions on Israel, end all arms trade, and launch investigations into “alleged war crimes and acts of genocide in Gaza."

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) of Northern Ireland organized the letter, which was signed by members of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Plaid Cymru of Wales, Sinn Féin of Northern Ireland, the Green Party, the Alliance Party, and People Before Profit. Signatories included Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Claire Hanna, and the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

The signatories expressed “deep concern and opposition” to Starmer’s supposed “ongoing support for the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza.” The letter referred to the humanitarian situation in the Strip as “man-made and avoidable” and cited claims by UN agencies of a deliberate famine perpetrated by Israel.

The letter added that, given the UK is party to the Genocide Convention, it has an “obligation to prevent acts that may amount to genocide.” As such, the signatories argued that the UK’s political and military support to Israel constitutes a breach of its international legal duties.

The UK set a September deadline for reassessing the urgency of the crisis and has also said it will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza.”

US President Donald Trump speaks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf club on July 28, 2025 in Turnberry, Scotland. (credit: CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/POOL VIA REUTERS)

However, the letter said this is "far too late."

"You must act now, the UK cannot be complicit in prolonging this tragedy."

Additionally, the signatories condemned the “recent murder of Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza,” calling it a “grave violation of international law and an attack on truth itself.” This comes despite the IDF reporting that the journalists were members of Hamas.

Addressing the Palestine Action organization

The letter also alluded to the recent proscription of Palestine Action in the UK saying, “Attempts to restrict, criminalize, or delegitimize protests undermine fundamental civil liberties.” Over 700 people have been arrested for support of Palestine Action since the group was banned in July.

While the letter did “condemn without reservation” Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the taking of hostages, there was no mention of the victims being Jewish or Israeli. Similarly, the signatories called for unimpeded access to humanitarian aid in Gaza but did not call for the hostages to have access to said aid.

The letter concluded by urging parliament to impose sanctions on Israel, to end all arms sales to Israel, to initiate a war crimes investigation, and to use the UK's influence to press for unimpeded aid to Gaza.

"History will remember whether we chose to remain silent or to stand on the side of humanity," it added.

“The people of Gaza don’t have the luxury of waiting any longer for the UK government to act,” said Hanna. “Today the SDLP is leading parties in giving voice to the despair and anger at the UK Government’s failure to stand up to Netanyahu.”

Michael Black, Deputy Chair of the Belfast Jewish Community, called the letter “virtue signaling” in a conversation with Ireland’s News Letter.

 

“They call for Parliament to put pressure on Israel, but it’s Hamas who are holding the hostages and stealing aid. This letter offers no solutions – just more division.”

 

“Where are the demands on the UK to pressure Hamas to release the Israeli hostages and lay down its arms?” Daniel O’Dowd of the Ireland Israel Alliance asked News Letter.

 

“This letter offers the usual lip service condemning October 7, but essentially demands Israel abandon the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

 

“This is a group which is destroying its own people to influence Western public opinion. The SDLP, SF, etc,. have fallen for that strategy hook, line, and sinker,” he added.

 

Irish media and the BBC reported on Monday that First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill – one of the signatories of the above letter – has agreed to bring a group of between 30 and 50 critically ill and injured Palestinian children to Northern Ireland for medical treatment in the coming weeks.

 

In a statement, the Department of Health said: “Preparations to support a small number of injured children from Gaza with medical treatment are continuing at pace with the UK government and the other devolved administrations. “This includes ongoing work in relation to operational matters.”

Mathilda Heller

Source: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-864690

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