Read the Guardian coverage "Eight NGOs urge UK to reconsider trade links with Israel in light of ICJ provisional findings on genocide".
The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP
Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Pl
London SW1A 2DY
Cc: The Rt Hon Lord Cameron, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
13 March 2024
Dear Secretary of State,
Suspending trade agreements and negotiations in response to the ICJ ruling on Gaza
At the end of January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) imposed provisional measures on Israel to prevent genocide against the Palestinian people. The ICJ found that the measures were necessary “to protect the rights claimed by South Africa that the Court has found to be plausible,” including “the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts of genocide.”
In addition to this, there is mounting evidence of serious violations of international law. As a signatory to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention), the UK has an obligation to prevent genocide, and an obligation, ergo omnes, to cooperate to bring an end through lawful means to the serious breaches of peremptory norms of international law including crimes against humanity and war crimes.
In this regard, we believe that measures should be taken immediately to suspend trade privileges, agreements and negotiations with Israel, particularly as these agreements are premised on upholding human rights and international law, and they involve trade, investment and cooperation with sectors of the Israeli economy involved in human rights and international humanitarian law violations. These are important points of leverage that the UK could and should utilise to try and bring an end to the ongoing serious violations of international law. We are asking what assessment your departments have made of these agreements in light of the ICJ’s interim ruling and the conduct of Israeli authorities since the attacks of 7 October.
- What due diligence has the UK government conducted on the risks of it failing to comply with its obligations to prevent genocide under the Genocide Convention and fulfil its obligation, ergo omnes, to cooperate to bring an end through lawful means to serious breaches of peremptory norms of international law, as well as the risk of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from its trading relationships with Israel?
- What advice has the UK government taken on the possibility of suspending its bilateral trade agreement with Israel?
- What assessment has the UK government made of the legality of continuing to allow imports from Israel’s illegal settlements into the UK given that such imports help to sustain the settlement economy and further the eviction of Palestinians from their homes and land?
- What assessment has the UK government made of the risks of its ongoing, and enhanced security, defence, science and technology relationships with Israel under the 2030 roadmap?
We also call on the UK government to immediately suspend export licenses of military equipment to and destined for Israel, given the clear risk they might be used in the commission or facilitation of serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes, in Gaza.
Yours sincerely,
Nick Dearden, Global Justice Now
Othman Moqbel, Action for Humanity
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK
Hannah Bond, ActionAid UK
Eva Tabbasam, Gender Action for Peace and Security
Tareq Shrourou, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
Tom Wills, Trade Justice Movement
Christina McAnea, UNISON
Asad Rehman, War on Want
Download the open letter here.
