Why does the British government not say a word about Israel’s war crimes?

The Israeli government is openly using humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip. They have said they will block “all humanitarian aid” – according to CNN. [1] Unless Hamas agrees to rewrite the ceasefire agreement. (Which means they negotiated it in bad faith. No. Who would have thought). Why does the British government not denounce this war crime? [2].

One could fill a page with the same question in countless forms. Why, for example, do we never hear a word from the British government about the children shot dead in the West Bank for throwing stones (or sometimes for just being there) at armoured vehicles?

On the blatantly genocidal language used by the leadership of Israel? [3]

Why?

Update – managing the narrative while endorsing war crimes

Some days after Israeli announced it was using food aid to a civilian population as an instrument of war the UK government issued a statement. The statement was issued jointly with France and Germany. I guess they are so afraid of Israel and the Israel lobby that they had to group together to issue it.

The statement says:

A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the government of Israel would risk violating international humanitarian law. Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool. We reiterate that the civilians of Gaza who have suffered so much must be allowed to return to their homes and rebuild their lives. [4]

Well; they have, (necessarily), accepted that “humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool”. But, beyond that, the statement is a cynical exercise in evasion. The halt on aid has already been announced and has already come into effect. [5] “Would” in the English language signifies a conditional, unreal, situation; “what would you do if?”. So, this statement by Starmer, Macron and the new Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz is, basically, a big whopper of a lie. The blockade isn’t really happening, they are telling their publics. Not content with that sheer lie they also hedge further. The blockade, which in reality has already started, which they are attempting to pass off as a hypothetical, is only a “risk” of being a war crime. I am not an expert in the complex field of International Law. As far as I can tell this action is prohibited by the 4th Geneva Conventions and is also a crime in “customary international law”. [2] I understand “customary international law” is a contentious field. The fourth Geneva Convention, which Israel is a signatory to, declares that;

Each High Contracting Party shall allow the free passage of all consignments of medical and hospital stores and objects necessary for religious worship intended only for civilians of another High Contracting Party, even if the latter is its adversary. It shall likewise permit the free passage of all consignments of essential foodstuffs, clothing and tonics intended

A quick internet search suggests that Israel, in line with its general genocidal attitude towards the Palestinians believes that Gaza does not count.

A lawyer might legitimately hedge about whether Israel’s intentional blocking of aid into Gaza is a war crime, but political parties with influence in the situation should not hide behind legal niceties. Legally a war crime, or not, is is heinous and they should do more than reiterate the same tired old lines about “deep concern” and “support for two-state solution” which everyone understands are a charade.

The main purpose of this statement has nothing to do with Israel and even less to do with suffering people in Gaza. The main purpose of this statement is narrative management, to put the UK, Germany and France on the “right side of the narrative” on this one. They are performing the elaborate feat of disassociating themselves from Israel’s atrocities while not changing their “iron-cast” support for Israel to any degree. Part of the game is this shifty little lie about how, “if Israel did this, it would be bad” by which device they present the real as the unreal.

Update – still deeply concerned

Israel is reported as having cut off electricity to the Gaza strip. The British government is “deeply concerned” about this;

At the lobby briefing this morning the PM’s spokesperson said No 10 was “deeply concerned” by these reports. He said:

Our position is humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool.

Asked whether the move was against international law, he said this was “a matter for an international court” but added:

A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, including basic needs such as electricity, risks breaching Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law. [6]

If the position the British government was “humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool” then what are they going to do about this? It is not as if they have no levers.

Incidentally; it is amazing how quickly the language of genocide is becoming normalised. The Guardian has a headline: “Israel to cut off electricity in Gaza in apparent effort to force hand of Hamas” which is a pretty bland way of reporting what is likely to be a war crime. To be fair to the Guardian they seem to be one of the few media outlets that I look at that does make a point of reporting on situation in Israel-Palestine from a Palestinian or human rights point of view quite often. So; this is just an example of how in the overriding climate when genocide is normalised, (and cheered on by the President of the US), media outlets are not immune to being drawn in.

Notes

Why does the British government not say a word about Israel’s war crimes?

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