After months of holding that the ability to determine whether Israel has committed genocide belonged to the international courts, the United Kingdom (UK) has concluded that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza.
Former Foreign Secretary David Lammy wrote a letter to the chair of the International Development Committee last week, saying that an assessment carried out by the Foreign Office had concluded that Israel’s actions did not constitute genocide.
“The crime of genocide occurs only where there is specific ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.’ The Government has not concluded that Israel is acting with that intent,” Lammy wrote in his letter to the Parliament.
Israeli Pres. Herzog to visit London to support UK Jews
Lammy later wrote, “To date, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has neither found that Israel has breached its obligations under the Geneva Convention nor ruled on the plausibility of Israel committing genocide. Accordingly, we do not consider that the ICJ’s Provisional Measures Orders should be regarded as creating an awareness of a serious risk of genocide.”
This comes as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to recognize a Palestinian state later this month, unless Israel meets its conditions.
The letter also comes as President Herzog is set to set off on a three-day visit to London on Tuesday, focused on combating mounting antisemitism in Britain. The Israeli President is expected to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other top government officials.
On Monday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also met with the prime minister at his residence in London.