Experts Expose UK’s Pivotal Role in Israel’s War on Gaza
A seminar held at London’s P21 Gallery on Wednesday evening shed light on Britain’s central role in enabling Israel’s war on Gaza. Organised by the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) and hosted by Zeinab Kamal, the event convened journalists, legal analysts, and human rights advocates to examine how Britain’s military, financial, and diplomatic support has facilitated Israeli aggression against Gaza.
Among the speakers was investigative journalist Matt Kennard, who detailed the UK government’s backing of Israel’s military operations. Kennard revealed that a D-notice was issued on 28 October to suppress media coverage of British special forces operating in Gaza. He cited a leaked New York Times report confirming that UK intelligence teams were collecting data that Israel, as one Israeli official admitted, “could not collect on its own.” Despite these disclosures, British media outlets have largely maintained what Kennard described as a “media blackout.”
Kennard also criticised the Labour government’s decision to partially suspend 30 out of approximately 350 arms export licences to Israel, dismissing it as mere “window dressing.”
He highlighted Britain’s substantial role in military operations, noting that the UK conducted 47% of all reconnaissance flights over Gaza—twice as many as Israel. He raised concerns about the UK’s legal liability, pointing to the government’s evasion of parliamentary questions about its military surveillance activities.
Kennard warned that UK intelligence likely enabled war crimes and called for a thorough legal investigation, particularly into the SAS’s unaccounted 15-month deployment.
British human rights lawyer Tayab Ali, Director of the International Centre for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), expanded on the UK’s legal culpability. He explained how diplomatic manoeuvres and arms exports have directly facilitated Israeli military actions.
Ali condemned the UK’s ongoing arms sales to Israel despite mounting evidence of war crimes, asserting that these actions constitute active participation in the conflict. He criticised the UK’s failure to uphold international law through mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and urged civil society to intensify grassroots mobilisation, legal challenges, and advocacy for sanctions against Britain’s complicity.
Political activist and researcher Dr. Samer Jaber focused on the financial underpinnings of Israel’s settler-colonial project, highlighting the UK institutions that maintain financial ties with Israeli banks funding settlement expansion. Jaber advocated for immediate legislation to sever these financial lifelines, emphasising that economic sanctions and divestment are critical tools to hold Israel accountable.
Dr. Sara Husseini, Director of the British-Palestinian Committee (BPC), placed the UK’s role within a broader geopolitical context. She highlighted increasing repression of pro-Palestinian activism in Britain and warned of political moves aimed at normalising Israeli apartheid, such as reviving the Abraham Accords and sidelining Palestinian institutions in reconstruction efforts. Husseini called for sustained advocacy targeting UK policymakers, stronger Palestinian-led initiatives, and the formation of a multi-front movement to challenge Britain’s policies.
In his closing remarks, Zaher Birawi, Chairman of the PFB, criticised successive British governments for perpetuating what he described as the legacy of the Balfour Declaration. He accused the UK of playing a deep and enduring role in aiding Israel’s racist occupation and settler-colonial ambitions. Birawi stressed that the Palestinian people “will neither forget nor forgive” Britain’s actions, insisting that the UK’s relationship with Palestinians hinges on its withdrawal of support for the occupation, recognition of Palestinian national rights, and a formal apology for historical injustices.
Read More:
ShortURL ⬇
