Lammy backtracks on claim Israel broke international law in Gaza

UN's Tom Fletcher is dismayed international negotiators cannot stop 'a 21st century atrocity happening before our eyes'

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy leaves the weekly cabinet meeting on Downing Street in London. Getty Images

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David Lammy, the UK Foreign Secretary, has been forced to backtrack on assertions that Israel was breaking international law following its resumption of hostilities in Gaza.

Mr Lammy was hailed earlier in the week for making the first statement from a UK government minister that Israel was in breach of its obligations for blocking aid flows to Gaza for more than two weeks. However, after a Downing Street intervention, he reversed his statement, to renewed criticism.

That came after he had reiterated his point in the House of Commons. “I did say in my contribution that it is in breach of international humanitarian law,” he said.

A secure and permanent end to this conflict is the only way out

David Lammy

Mr Lammy backtracked on Tuesday. The UK government position remains there is a “clear risk” of Israel breaking the law.

“Ultimately of course, these are matters for the courts to determine but it’s difficult to see how denying humanitarian assistance to a civilian population can be compatible with international humanitarian law,” Mr Lammy said.

Advocates of the UK taking a much stronger stance were outraged by the reversal and questioned whether the Foreign Secretary was being undermined in public. “It undermines the government’s claims that it respects international law and exposes a clear chasm between the Prime Minister and his Foreign Secretary,” said Chris Doyle, a campaigner who runs the Council for Arab-British Understanding.

Mr Lammy also warned that “a return to full-scale fighting is in no one’s interest”.

“We continue to condemn Hamas, of course, and believe in Israel’s right to security, but all parties must re-engage with negotiations to get the remaining hostages out," he said. "We do need to continue to surge aid into Gaza and a secure and permanent end to this conflict is the only way out.”

A UN Security Council meeting on Gaza on Tuesday night saw urgent appeals to lift the renewed Israeli blockade. Tom Fletcher, the UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said the ceasefire process was working, returning hostages and allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid. He appealed for intervention to stop the situation going into reverse.

“What does it say about our values that we can't stop a 21st century atrocity happening before our eyes, and not just happening but being cheered on before our eyes,” he asked on the BBC on Wednesday. “I'm saying: get this blockade lifted so we can save survivors and get a ceasefire back in place so we get hostages home to their families and avoid thousands more deaths.”

James Kariuki, the UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, also spoke at the meeting and said the new restriction on aid “risks violating” international law. “This conflict cannot be resolved through military means,” he said. “We want to see the ceasefire re-established as soon as possible.”