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United Kingdom support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war

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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, 19 October 2023

Following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war on October 7th, 2023, the United Kingdom has provided Israel with extensive military and diplomatic support. In response to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asserted that the United Kingdom "unequivocally" stands with Israel.[1] The UK also issued an "unequivocal condemnation" of Palestinian militant group Hamas[2] and deployed British Armed Forces personnel and assets to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel.[3]

The United Kingdom solidly aligns itself with the United States throughout the conflict, which has also given significant support to Israel, abstaining from three ceasefire resolutions put forth by the United Nations Security Council calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.[4] This stance has led the United Kingdom to face increasing isolation along with the United States and Israel as global calls for a ceasefire intensify.[5] British ministers have openly endorsed Israel's forced evacuation orders and unlawful collective punishment of the Gaza Strip, without condemning any of Israel's policies despite the mounting death toll.[6]

According to the Campaign Against Arms Trade, the UK has granted arms export licences to Israel amounting to £574 million ($727 million) since 2008, including £42 million ($53 million) in 2022.[7] Despite growing calls from various international organizations, over 600 members of the British legal profession, and three former senior British judges who argue that the UK's arms sales to Israel violate international law,[8] Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on April 9th, 2024, that the United Kingdom will not cease its arms sales to Israel.[9] International human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch have criticized the UK for its military and diplomatic support to Israel, arguing that such support could render the UK complicit in Israeli war crimes and genocide.[10][11] As of April 2024, it is estimated that the conflict has resulted in the killing of over 34,000 Palestinians.[12]

Timeline

October

  • On October 8th, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United Kingdom "unequivocally" stands with Israel. He also announced "we will continue to provide Israel with every support that it needs as we stand steadfast with Israel, including its right to self defence to ensure that these attacks do not happen."[1]
  • On October 12th, the UK announced that it would send two Royal Navy supports ships, 100 Royal Marines and surveillance aircraft to the Eastern Mediterranean from October 13th to support Israel. This includes Poseidon P-8 aircraft and other planes tasked partly with preventing weapon transfers to Hezbollah in Lebanon from Iran.[13][14]
  • On October 18th, the UK abstained from a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for "humanitarian pauses" to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.[15]
  • On October 19th, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived in Tel Aviv in a two-day visit to "express solidarity with the Israeli people", as the relentless Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has killed over 3,400 Palestinians.[16][17]

December

  • On December 2nd, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that it would begin surveillance flights over Gaza “in support of the ongoing hostage rescue activity”.[18]

Pro-Israel lobby

Main article: Israel lobby in the United Kingdom

Declassified UK revealed that 20% of Labour Party MPs have been received funding from pro-Israel groups or individuals, totaling £280,000 in donations.[19]

Opinion polls

According to a December 2023 YouGov poll commissioned by Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Council for Arab-British Understanding, 71% of the British public believe that there should definitely (48%) or probably (23%) be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, while only 12% though that there should definitely not (6%) or probably not (6%) be an immediate ceasefire. Additionally, the poll found that 17% of the British public approve of the British government's handling of the conflict, while only 9% approve of the opposition Labour Party's handling of the conflict, revealing that there is "a total and utter lack of public confidence in the way both the UK government and the Labour Party have handled this".[20]

References

  1. ^ a b "Britain's Sunak says London 'unequivocally' stands with Israel". Reuters. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  2. ^ Vernon, Hayden (2023-10-09). "UK, US and allies offer Israel 'steadfast support' in joint statement". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  3. ^ "Prime Minister deploys UK military to Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  4. ^ "UN Security Council ceasefire resolution fails to pass". www.savethechildren.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  5. ^ Fenton-Harvey, Jonathan (2023-12-19). "Britain follows the US into isolation over Israel's Gaza war". The New Arab. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  6. ^ CURTIS, MARK (2023-11-21). "Why does the UK give Israel unqualified backing?". Declassified Media Ltd. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  7. ^ "Gaza war: Where does Israel get its weapons?". BBC News. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  8. ^ Siddique, Haroon; Courea, Eleni; Wintour, Patrick (2024-04-03). "Former supreme court judges say UK arming Israel breaches international law". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  9. ^ "UK will not block arms sales to Israel, says David Cameron". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  10. ^ "Selling Weapons to Israel Could Make UK Complicit in War Crimes | Human Rights Watch". 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  11. ^ Al-Kassab, Fatima (4 April 2024). "Why a majority of Britons want the U.K. to halt arms exports to Israel". National Public Radio. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  12. ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Health Ministry In Hamas-run Gaza Says War Death Toll At 34,305". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  13. ^ Sabbagh, Dan (2023-10-12). "UK to send navy ships and spy planes to support Israel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  14. ^ Chuter, Andrew (2023-10-13). "Britain sends spy planes, ships to Mediterranean amid Israel-Hamas war". Defense News. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  15. ^ "Israel-Gaza crisis: US vetoes Security Council resolution | UN News". news.un.org. 2023-10-18. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  16. ^ "British PM Sunak in Israel. What's on his agenda?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  17. ^ Castle, Stephen (2023-10-19). "Sunak Visits Israel in Display of British Support". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  18. ^ Vernon, Hayden (2023-12-02). "UK surveillance aircraft to search for Hamas hostage sites in Gaza". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  19. ^ McEVOY, JOHN (2024-02-13). "Labour MPs have accepted over £280,000 from Israel lobby". Declassified Media Ltd. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  20. ^ "Opinion poll shows overwhelming British public support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza". Medical Aid for Palestinians. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
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