The International Criminal Court caused shockwaves yesterday when it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of crimes against humanity.
Today, one of our readers notes that the UK Government has refused to condemn Israel’s actions while at the same time sanctioning Russia, and asks: why the double standards?
Chris Ewing of Cairneyhill writes:
"The International Criminal Court (ICC) has now issued arrest warrants for the Prime Minister and former Defence Minister of Israel for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity for their actions against Palestinians in Gaza.
These alleged actions are ongoing and have now spread to Lebanon (and the West Bank) and show no sign of abating.
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So far, the UK Government has refused to condemn Israel for its war crimes, and despite calling for a ceasefire, continues to support the country with military material and equipment, and doubtless in other, less visible ways such as intelligence.
On the other hand, the UK Government is quite rightly forthright in its criticism of Russia in its war on Ukraine, has sanctioned numerous members of the Russian government, and is supplying Ukraine with much-needed arms and equipment to defend itself.
Why the double standards? Why does the UK continue to support one country that we know from TV news reports is responsible for mass slaughter, starvation, ethnic cleansing and destruction of vital infrastructure whilst sanctioning another that is responsible for the same?
Why are the vast majority of Labour MPs (including my own) silent on this? When will they have humanity and courage to address these unfathomable double standards by challenging their government to end all arms and material sales to Israel, to take effective action to protect civilian life in Palestine and Lebanon, and in light of the decision of the ICC to issue warrants for Benjanin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, to immediately impose sanctions on both and all others who are involved at a strategic and tactical level in Israel’s war crimes?
Don’t hold your breath for an answer."
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