UK PM Accused of Downplaying Israeli Human Rights Violations in Gaza
This is according to rights group Amnesty International.
"By refusing to condemn clear breaches of international law, by not saying clearly that Israel's restriction of water and food is collective punishment and a war crime, and that Israel's evacuation order amounts to forcible displacement, UK politicians are diminishing the gravity of Israel's actions," Amnesty International UK Chief Executive Sacha Deshmukh said in a statement.
Sunak and Nandy, the shadow cabinet secretary for international development, faced criticism for their failure to condemn Israel's total blockade of the Gaza Strip during recent interviews.
Responding to these comments, Deshmukh emphasized, "It is right that the Prime Minister and other leading UK politicians are calling for the restoration of water and humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. But the fact that neither the government nor the main opposition party are willing to condemn Israel's clear breaches of international law is wrong and fails to hold Israel accountable consistently.
"…Israel is responding to war crimes with more war crimes, which can never be justified, rationalized, or ignored. UK politicians must explicitly oppose all war crimes," Deshmukh continued.
Deshmukh stressed the urgency of the situation in Gaza, with multiple UN agencies describing it as "catastrophic."
"Israel's evacuation order amounts to forcible displacement, UK politicians are diminishing the gravity of Israel's actions, limiting pressure on Israel to change course, and contributing to an environment where human rights violations against Palestinians are minimized," he asserted.
"… Israel must lift the blockade of Gaza, rescind its evacuation order, and refrain from unlawful and indiscriminate attacks. All are clear violations of international humanitarian law; they must be condemned, and there must be increased calls for justice and accountability, including via the International Criminal Court, to help address the root causes of this decades-long crisis," Deshmukh concluded.
Amnesty International's allegations have put UK leaders under further scrutiny regarding their stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and their commitment to upholding human rights.
The Zionist regime’s brutal war against the people of Gaza started on October 7 after Hamas carried out a surprise attack against the regime, called Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, by firing thousands of rockets at the occupied territories.
The operation, which was a legitimate response to recurrent acts of violence against Palestinians, touched off an incessant onslaught by the illegal entity on the besieged Gaza Strip, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 4,700 people, mostly civilians, while leaving more than 15,000 others injured.
Source: Agencies
