Caabu has submitted written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee inquiry on Palestine, published on 18 February 2025. You can view the submission in full via PDF here and HTML here.
The submission covers a variety of issues relating to Palestine, such as the recognition of the State of Palestine, Israeli settlements, evidence of apartheid and genocide, UNRWA and the humanitarian situation, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the advisory opinion and provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It also offers advice on arms sales, the UK's relationship with Israel and planning for the future.
Key points
- The UK’s policy on Israel-Palestine has been controversial ever since the early part of the 20th century. It remains so till this day.
- British government policies do not amount to a strategy or a serious attempt to address the long-term issues that underpin this long-running conflict.
- It has consistently failed to uphold the national and international human rights of the Palestinian people including their right to self-determination. These include violations of U.N Security Council Resolutions and as the occupying power, the Fourth Geneva Convention.
- British governments have consistently given greater precedence to Israeli rights and to Israeli security.
- All too often references are made to Israeli security and Israel’s right to defend itself. Barely ever does the government refer to the Palestinian need for security, despite Palestinians having lost many more lives over decades.
- Not once can we find one reference to the Palestinian right to self-defence as opposed to considerable references to Israel’s right. Yet, it is Palestine that is under an unlawful occupation.
- The UK has also consistently failed to ensure that Israel upholds its obligations under international law. Issuing press releases expressing concern is no substitute for taking actual measures to ensure that the UK is not complicit in such violations and is doing all it can to end them.
- The failure to condemn Israeli violations of international law, to take action to deter it, while continuing to arm Israel and refer to it as an ally when the major international judicial bodies are referring to war crimes, crimes against humanity and possible genocide, has seriously and dangerously undermined Britain’s standing in the world.
- Britain risks losing influence in global affairs because of a widespread perception of double standards and hypocrisy.
You can read the submission in full here.
