(C) Common Dreams
This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Over 80 MPs & Lords call for widespread sanctions on Israel [1]

['Labour Outlook', 'View All Posts Labour Outlook', 'Labour Outlook Brings You Positive News', 'Views', 'Analysis Progressive Movements In Britain', 'Internationally.', 'Our Independent Media Outlet Is Brought To You The Volunteer Team Behind Arise', 'A Festival Of Left Ideas.']

Date: 2025-07-24

Share

“We don’t need more empty words from the Government calling on Israel to do the right thing. We need tough action to force Israel to end its atrocities against the Palestinian people.” Richard Burgon MP

By the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC)

More than 80 MPs and Lords from nine political parties have called on the British Government to impose comprehensive sanctions on Israel over its repeated violations of international law.

The 84 parliamentarians have made the call in a letter to the Foreign Secretary David Lammy, organised by MPs Richard Burgon and Imran Hussain. The letter marks the first anniversary of a landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s top court, that Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is “unlawful” and must end “as rapidly as possible”.

The letter calls on the UK Government to:

• Suspend the UK-Israel trade agreement until Israel complies with international law

• Ban all trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements

• Impose targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes on all individuals and entities complicit in Israel’s occupation

• End all arms transfers to Israel, including F-35 components, that can be used in violations of international humanitarian law

• Conduct a full review of UK-Israel relations to ensure no support is given to violations of international law

The demands are in line with the 19 July 2024 ruling of the International Court of Justice that said all States must “abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory”. The Court also said all States have an obligation to “take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the OPT.”

The letter highlights the British Government’s failure to respond meaningfully to the ICJ’s findings over the past year, despite the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the escalating violence in the West Bank.

The letter concludes that:

“This is a moment to show that the UK’s stated commitment to international law and human rights is more than words. We urge you to act decisively and without delay.” It also contrasts the Government’s inaction on Israel with the robust sanctions regime against Russia.

Richard Burgon MP, who co-organised the letter, said:

“Israel is committing war crime after war crime. We don’t need more empty words from the Government calling on Israel to do the right thing. We need tough action to force Israel to end its atrocities against the Palestinian people. That means ending all arms sales and imposing widespread sanctions on Israel — just as were rightly imposed on Russia over Ukraine.”

Imran Hussain MP, who also co-organised the letter, said:

“For a year, the Government has dragged its feet following the ruling from the world’s top court. It’s clear Israel will only end its genocide when governments take bold and decisive action in defence of international law. The International Court of Justice ruling makes it clear that the UK has a legal as well as a moral obligation to act. What is the Government waiting for? How many more Palestinians need to be killed or forced into starvation before our Government takes the action so desperately needed?”

Ben Jamal, PSC Director, said:

“21 months into Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians in Gaza and 1 year since the ICJ issued its historic ruling as to the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank including East Jerusalem, we are still wating for meaningful action from the UK Government. The sanctions demanded in this letter are the minimum required to ensure that the UK fulfils its obligations not to aid and abet these egregious violations of International law.”

You can read the letter and its signatories in full below.

Dear Foreign Secretary,



Re: One Year On – UK Government Must Finally Act Following the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion and Impose Sanctions on Israel

As we mark the first anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) landmark Advisory Opinion issued on 19 July 2024, we write to urge the Government to impose sanctions and take other concrete steps to uphold its legal obligations under international law.

One Year Since the ICJ’s Landmark Findings

The ICJ—the world’s highest court, established by the UN Charter—found that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including East Jerusalem, is unlawful. The Court concluded that Israel must end this presence “as rapidly as possible” and cease all new settlement activity.

Crucially, the ICJ affirmed that all States, including the UK, have an obligation not to recognise this illegal situation and “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

The Court also made clear that all States must “abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory” and to “take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the OPT”.

Additionally, the ICJ reiterated the obligations of all State Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.

The UK Government’s Responsibilities

The ICJ’s Opinion imposes clear legal responsibilities on the UK. Yet, despite acknowledging the Court’s findings, the Government has still not outlined a concrete response or demonstrated how it intends to meet its obligations.

Meanwhile, the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories — especially in Gaza — has descended further into horror. Civilians are being massacred, aid is being wilfully denied, deepening the humanitarian crisis, the population is being forcibly displaced and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, is being targeted. In the West Bank, settler violence, the demolition of homes, and land grabs have all intensified to levels not seen in years. These are grave violations of international law and must not be met with impunity.

Urgent Measures Required

In line with the ICJ’s Opinion and the UK’s legal obligations, we urge the Government to act without delay by:

Imposing targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes on all individuals and entities complicit in maintaining Israel’s unlawful presence in the OPT.

Banning all trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements, and actively supporting the UN database of businesses operating in the OPT.

Suspending the UK-Israel trade agreement until Israel complies with international law.

Ending all arms transfers to Israel, including F-35 components and other equipment that may be used in violations of international humanitarian law.

We also call for a comprehensive review of all UK-Israel trade, security, military, and diplomatic relations to ensure that none contribute—directly or indirectly—to sustaining Israel’s unlawful presence in the OPT or other violations of international law.

A Test of the UK’s Commitment to International Law

The UK Government has rightly imposed widespread sanctions on Russia for its illegal war on Ukraine.

Yet it has failed to act on anything close to the same scale in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

This is a moment to show that the UK’s stated commitment to international law and human rights is more than words.

We urge you to act decisively and without delay.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Burgon MP and Imran Hussain MP

And:

Diane Abbott MP

Shockat Adam MP

Lord John Alderdice

Rosena Allin-Khan MP

Paula Barker MP

Lorraine Beavers MP

Órfhlaith Begley MP

Apsana Begum MP

Siân Berry MP

Clive Betts MP

Kirsty Blackman MP

Olivia Blake MP

Baroness Christine Blower

Jonathan Brash MP

Baroness Pauline Bryan

Baroness Lorely Burt

Ian Byrne MP

Lord Michael Cashman

Ellie Chowns MP

Jeremy Corbyn MP

Pat Cullen MP

Ann Davies MP

Carla Denyer MP

Dave Doogan MP

Lord Alf Dubs

Neil Duncan-Jordan MP

Colum Eastwood MP

Sorcha Eastwood MP

Cat Eccles MP

John Finucane MP

Stephen Flynn MP

Mary Kelly Foy MP

Barry Gardiner MP

Andrew George MP

Stephen Gethins MP

Mary Glindon MP

Lord Leslie Griffiths

Andrew Gwynne MP

Claire Hanna MP

Chris Hazzard MP

Lord John Hendy

Chris Hinchliff MP

Baroness Fiona Hodgson

Dáire Hughes MP

Adnan Hussain MP

Kim Johnson MP

Baroness Jenny Jones

Ayoub Khan MP

Ben Lake MP

Peter Lamb MP

Ian Lavery MP

Chris Law MP

Graham Leadbitter MP

Brian Leishman MP

Clive Lewis MP

Seamus Logan MP

Cathal Mallaghan MP

Rachael Maskell MP

Paul Maskey MP

Andy McDonald MP

John McDonnell MP

Llinos Medi MP

Baroness Susan Miller

Abtisam Mohamed MP

Iqbal Mohamed MP

Grahame Morris MP

Brendan O’Hara MP

Simon Opher MP

Kate Osborne MP

Yasmin Qureshi MP

Adrian Ramsay MP

Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP

Liz Saville Roberts MP

Lord Indarjit Singh

Zarah Sultana MP

Lord Robin Teverson

Jon Trickett MP

Baroness Pola Uddin

Nadia Whittome MP

Pete Wishart MP

Steve Witherden MP

Mohammad Yasin MP

You can follow the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky and TikTok.

This was originally published as a press release from the PSC on 18th July 2025.

Featured image: Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy meeting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem Photograph @DavidLammy https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/16/first-edition-david-lammy-israel-palestine-gaza-war

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://labouroutlook.org/2025/07/24/over-80-mps-lords-call-for-widespread-sanctions-on-israel/

Published and (C) by Common Dreams
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0..

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.