Cameron told to resign over backing Netanyahu
DAVID Cameron must resign as Foreign Secretary for making “excuses for the crimes of collective punishment and genocide”, the Scottish Greens have said after the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Scottish-born lawyer Karim Khan said that he believes Netanyahu and his defence minister Yoav Gallant, along with three Hamas leaders – Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh – are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
The news comes even as the UK continues to allow weapons exports to the Israeli regime which Netanyahu heads.
In April, court documents revealed that the Foreign Secretary had approved sales of arms to Israel just days after its military murdered seven aid workers, three of whom were British.
Ross Greer, the Scottish Greens’ external affairs spokesperson, said UK arms exports to Israel now had to end as he called on Cameron to resign, citing his support for Netanyahu.
“The people of Gaza have suffered seven months of brutal bombardment and slaughter at the hands of Israeli forces,” Greer said.
“As we have said from the outset, we do not think the ICC has jurisdiction in this case.”
Green MP Caroline Lucas described the statement as “outrageous,” saying the UK was “undermining the authority of the ICC”.
“The ICC has jurisdiction in relation to any alleged crimes committed in Gaza and in the West Bank,” she said. “All involved must uphold international law.”
Meanwhile, the SNP’s foreign affairs spokesperson Brendan O’Hara said: “We go down a dangerous road, minister, if we believe that the rule of law is something from which a government can pick and choose.”
He said the SNP “very much welcome” the ICC’s decision to seek the arrest warrants for senior Hamas and Israeli officials, adding: “We have always unreservedly condemned the appalling Hamas attacks, the murders and the hostage-taking and we repeat
“This assault has been enabled and supported by complicit governments like the UK’s every step of the way.
“The behaviour of both the UK Government and the Labour Party has been truly shameful and immoral. They have ignored clear and overwhelming evidence and made excuses for the crimes of collective punishment and genocide.
“It is right that the International Court holds the leaders of both Israel and Hamas to account for their terrible crimes.
“Israeli forces have shown a complete disregard for international humanitarian law and the rights and lives of Palestinians.
“With 1.5 million people trapped in Rafah, the stakes could not be our calls for the immediate release of the hostages.”
He went on: “Given the ferociously disproportionate Israeli response, one which has seen 35,000 dead, 100,000 injured, tens of thousands of children orphaned, a civilian infrastructure in ruins, the cutting off of food, water, electricity and medical supplies, we also welcome the ICC filing applications for the arrest warrants of both Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the minister of defence Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“The ICC say they have evidence, including interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses, which show Israel has intentionally and systematically deprived the civilian population of Gaza with what they need to survive, and they refer specifically to Israel using starvation as a weapon of war, and intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population, all acts higher. Shamefully, the weapons and equipment used to carry out this slaughter includes those supplied by the UK.
“The Foreign Secretary has not only allowed arms sales to Israel to continue, he has actively defended them.
“If he has even the slightest shred of regret about the role he has played in enabling some of the worst crimes of this century, then David Cameron must tender his resignation and go back into political obscurity.”
Cameron had been out of frontline politics from July 2016 until November 2023, when he was handed a life peerage by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in order to appoint him as Foreign Secretary.