UK support for Israel ‘is not unconditional’ says Cameron
Britain’s support for Israel depends on it abiding by international humanitarian law, foreign minister David Cameron said in a newspaper column on Sunday, days after an Israeli airstrike killed seven aid workers, including three Britons.
“Our backing is not unconditional,” Cameron wrote in The Sunday Times. “We expect such a proud and successful democracy to abide by international humanitarian law, even when challenged.”
The British government has been a staunch ally of Israel since the attack on southern Israel on October 7 that triggered Israel’s war to eliminate the Palestinian groups. But Cameron has hardened his language in recent months over the dire humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave.
Cameron warned on Sunday of the risk of mass starvation unless Israel allowed more aid. On Saturday, Britain said it would supply a naval vessel to ship aid as part of an international effort.
In a statement on Sunday to mark six months since the initial attack, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak repeated his call for the Palestinian group to release Israeli captives and for an immediate pause in fighting. “We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from groups ... but the whole of the UK is shocked by the bloodshed, and appalled by the killing of brave British heroes who were bringing food to those in need,” he said.
Britain’s government is also under pressure to publish its latest legal advice about Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, which would potentially affect British arms exports.
Last week three former Supreme Court justices joined more than 600 members of the British legal profession in calling for the government to halt arms sales to Israel, saying it could make Britain complicit in genocide in Gaza.