UK foreign ministry staff warn of 'complicity' in Gaza

More than 300 civil servants at Britain's foreign ministry have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressing concerns about Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza, the BBC reported Tuesday.

The officials warned of potential U.K. "complicity" in what they called "Israel's violations of international humanitarian law" during the war in the Palestinian territory.

The letter dated May 16 questioned the continuation of some U.K. arms sales to the country, according to the broadcaster.

"In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel's violations of international humanitarian law and potential U.K. government complicity," the staff wrote, according to excerpts cited by the BBC.

"In the intervening period, the reality of Israel's disregard for international law has become more stark," they added, citing the killing of humanitarian workers, restrictions on international aid and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

The letter added that the U.K. government had contributed to "the erosion of global norms," including through weapons exports, the broadcaster reported.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's labor government suspended some 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel in September 2024, citing a "risk" they could be used in violations of international law.

London has also sanctioned settlers in the West Bank and suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel.

But it continues to supply components for F-35 fighter jets to a global pool that Israel is able to access.

"Since day one, this government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza," a Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said in a statement sent to AFP.

The BBC reported that the two most senior officials in the FCDO replied to the letter by saying the signatories could "resign" if they disagreed with government policy.

"This is an honorable course," they told staff, the BBC reported, adding that the response shocked the civil servants.

The FCDO spokesperson said, "It is the job of civil servants to deliver on the policies of the government of the day."

"There are systems in place which allow them to raise concerns if they have them," they added.

The row comes as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing international criticism over the war, including claims of genocide, which Israel strenuously denies.

The war started after a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

The health ministry in Gaza says at least 54,927 people, the majority civilians, have been killed in Israel's retaliation. The U.N. considers these figures reliable.