UK lawmakers demand full arms embargo and settlement trade ban on Israel

Eighty UK MPs and peers have written to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging sanctions on Israel including a full arms embargo and a ban on trade linked to settlements, citing UN findings of genocide and ICJ rulings.

A group of 80 UK MPs and peers has written to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to impose sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo and a ban on trade supporting Israeli settlements. The letter, led by MP Kim Johnson, calls on the government to "decisively change its stance" to uphold Palestinian rights and prevent violations of international law. It references the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry report that "confirmed Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza" and the Genocide Convention, which requires signatories to act. The letter also notes the previous administration's failure to respond to the July 2024 ICJ judgment. Signatories include Diane Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn, Baroness Jenny Jones, and Baroness Warsi. In an op-ed, Johnson urged Burnham to break with former PM Starmer's Israel policy, calling Palestine the "defining test" of Labour's commitment to international law. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign backed the letter.