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Posted by
Olog-hai
on Mon Sep 15 16:33:05 2025
Not that the international left wants to hear that, mind you.
Jerusalem Post
'Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza,' UK government concludesThe British Government has determined that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told the chair of the international development committee in a letter on September 1.
This differs significantly from the government’s previous position, which was that only courts can decide whether Israel is or is not committing genocide. It also marks the first time the UK government has stated explicitly that Israel’s actions in Gaza do not count as genocide.
In the letter to Sarah Champion, Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time of writing, acknowledged that the UK government has the duty to prevent genocide under Article I of the Genocide Convention (1948) if it believes there is a serious risk of it occurring. This position is in line with the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case concerning the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The UK government carefully considered the risk of genocide in Gaza during its preparations for the Al-Haq vs. F-35 court case, Lammy said. While he stated that the situation in Gaza is “utterly appalling” and Israel “must do much more to prevent and alleviate the suffering that this conflict is causing,” he wrote that it does not meet the threshold for genocide under the Genocide Convention.
The convention states that “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 stated.
While the ICJ did warn of risks of genocide, to date, it has not found Israel to be in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention, nor has it found Israel to be committing genocide.
“The British government has been forced to admit in writing that Israel is not committing genocide,” Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Ellis KC, former attorney-general for England and Wales, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
“This was in an official letter, which was buried in a midnight press release on a Friday during a change of government ministers.”
“This truth has been clear to all impartial and neutral observers throughout this conflict, but this is a long overdue, dramatic, and welcome change of position from the UK government.”
Lammy’s letter also discussed the importance of maintaining F-35 parts exports.
“We are facing a critical moment for European security and war on our continent, and the government has a duty to consider the full implications of all arms export decisions,” he said.
“The F-35 partnership is the largest defense program in the world, with over 1,000 F-35 aircraft in service globally. Undermining the program would significantly disrupt international peace and security, NATO deterrence, and European defense. It is for that reason alone that we took the decision to continue exporting to the global program,” he continued, noting that the UK has, however, stopped direct exports of F-35 parts for use by Israel.
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