🔗 Share this article

Recently, a UN commission found that Israel is perpetrating genocide in Gaza. This conclusion comes as no shock, given that seldom do countries in history have been so explicit about their intentions.

To take just two examples: Months ago, a top Israeli official declared that “Gaza is to be entirely destroyed”; a week later, Israel’s leader asserted that its forces are “demolishing more and more houses across Gaza,” leaving residents with no place to go.

Official Position

At the beginning of this month, Labour’s deputy prime minister sent a statement to the leader of a government committee, asserting that “ministers has examined the possibility of genocide” and has not concluded that Israel is acting with destructive aims. What explains separate organizations reach such different endpoints?

The British government refrains from reaching a verdict on genocide because were it to, it would have to face up to its complicity.

International Partnerships

Regarding diplomatic and defense strategy, the British government supports the United States, Tel Aviv’s key partner. Officials persist in provide Israeli forces with essential elements for fighter aircraft attacking Palestinian communities.

Israeli planes carrying out these strikes have been allowed to land in the Britain. Authorities continues to share intelligence with Israeli officials. Britain operates ongoing reconnaissance missions over the region.

Instead of enacting sweeping sanctions, government representatives facilitate trade with Israel worth billions a year.

Hypocrisy

While Israeli president – whose inflammatory statements about collective Palestinian guilt – is awarded the privilege of a state trip, numerous activists holding placards denouncing violence are detained as though they are security threats.

Every action directed at Israel has been performative, meant to quiet appeals for intervention from the public. Ultimately, most UK residents feel it’s possible Israel has breached humanitarian standards, a majority backs an weapons ban, just 20% view Israel’s attack on Gaza is reasonable, and a majority advocate for holding officials accountable for alleged war crimes.

Individual Tragedies

Safety of those living in Gaza are deemed less important than upholding partnerships with Israel and, indirectly, the US. At the personal level, this approach plays out in the cruelest of ways.

A Palestinian refugee, a resident of Angela Rayner, met her on multiple times. She visited his establishment in 2019 and appeared together, declaring “Palestine must be free”. He joined her on a trip to Westminster.

Not long after the violence erupting in October 2023, his mother, brother, sister-in-law and two young nieces were lost in an bombing. Desperate to save his loved ones – who had been trapped in debris on multiple occasions – he reached out to Rayner twice asking for support.

He says he was ignored. Months later, he went to a political event where he spoke out, clutching images of his dead mother, pleading for a end to hostilities and emotionally declaring, “I lost my family in Gaza”.

This entire distressing incident was recorded: he was forcibly removed from the event and outside. She remained passive, merely commenting “thank you, you’ve made your point”. Subsequently cut ties on online platforms.

Days later, she was questioned by a news outlet, where the incident was portrayed as an example of threats politicians face, associating it with the killings of MPs. Since then, countless of Neder’s relatives have been slaughtered that the victims cover extensive notes of a notebook.

Imagined Scenarios

Suppose an Israeli citizen had been expelled from the fundraiser of a official they knew well, after displaying pictures of their slaughtered family and appealing for the violence to end. Rather than being described as an example of threats faced by politicians, the outcry would be splashed on the press and be widely reported.

Summary

The UK administration is avoiding difficult realities. There is refusal to admit genocide, since recognizing it would mean accepting their role. Facts, ultimately, cannot be hidden.