Jeremy Corbyn demands 'Chilcot' style inquiry into UK complicity in Israel's war on Gaza
In a letter to the prime minister, Corbyn - who sits in parliament as an independent MP - argued that Britain has "played a highly influential role in Israel's military operations".
"Many people believe that the government has taken decisions that have implicated officials in the gravest breaches of international law," he wrote, pointing to Britain's sale of weapons and supply of intelligence to Israel.
He recalled the Chilcot inquiry into the invasion of Iraq, which found Tony Blair government's decision was based on "flawed intelligence and assessments".
Corbyn urged a similar inquiry into Britain's complicity with Israel's assault on Gaza, which has killed at least 61,000 people.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
"We have repeatedly asked for the truth regarding the role of British military bases," Corbyn wrote. "And we have repeatedly requested the publication of legal advice behind the Government's (currently unknown) definition of genocide.
"Our requests have been met with evasion, obstruction and silence."
'Complicity'
A government spokesperson told Sky News: "Our priority since day one has been a sustainable ceasefire, and a lasting peace that will ensure the long-term peace and security of both Palestinians and Israelis.
"We must build confidence on all sides that helps sustain the ceasefire and move it from phase one through to phase three, and into a lasting peace and an end to the suffering on all sides."
New report lays out full extent of UK-Israel military partnership in Gaza Read More »
This comes after former Foreign Office official Mark Smith said last month that he witnessed "conduct that I believe crossed the threshold into complicity with war crimes" among officials.
"Officials are bullied into silence," he reported. "Processes are manipulated to produce politically convenient outcomes. Whistleblowers are stonewalled, isolated and ignored."
In his letter, Corbyn referred to a January report from the British Palestinian Committee which detailed the procurement of weapons from the Israeli military industry and the use of British military bases.
The Royal Air Force base Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus is used by the UK, US and Germany to supply Israel with 'weapons, personnel, and intelligence'.
The report argues that the UK "is not simply failing in its third-party responsibilities to uphold international law, but is actively complicit in genocidal acts perpetrated against the Palestinian people".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UAE Moments
an hour ago
- UAE Moments
Israel Opens New Military Corridor in Southern Gaza
Israel has opened a new military corridor in southern Gaza, known as the Magen Oz corridor, amid its ongoing offensive against Hamas. Stretching approximately 15 kilometers, the corridor runs east to west through Khan Younis, effectively bisecting the city. This new development is part of a broader Israeli strategy to fragment Gaza into smaller zones, allowing for tighter military control and increased pressure on Hamas forces operating in the region. The Magen Oz corridor links up with the pre-existing Morag Corridor, helping to isolate Khan Younis from Rafah and other surrounding areas. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have stated that the corridor's purpose is to significantly restrict the movement of Hamas militants, particularly the Khan Younis Brigade, and to dismantle their infrastructure. The operation to establish the corridor was carried out by the IDF's 36th Division, which includes elite units like the 188th Armored Brigade and the Golani Infantry Brigade. These forces reportedly engaged in intense combat during the clearing operations, targeting underground tunnels and militant hideouts. The success of this maneuver means that Israel now operates four major military corridors in Gaza—Netzarim, Philadelphi, Morag, and now Magen Oz—further tightening its grip on the territory. While the strategic purpose of the Magen Oz corridor is clear from a military perspective, the humanitarian fallout has raised serious concerns. Thousands of Palestinian civilians displaced by the conflict now face even more limited access to aid and safe zones. The division of Khan Younis adds to the already chaotic landscape, making the delivery of humanitarian assistance increasingly difficult. Twenty-one Palestinians were killed on Wednesday, July 16, when gas was fired into the crowd, causing a crush at an aid center in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. Israel's use of corridor systems in Gaza is also being viewed as a form of political leverage. With ceasefire talks stalling, the increasing fragmentation of the territory may serve to pressure Hamas into negotiations under less favorable terms. The opening of the new military corridor follows the Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz's announcement of a plan for a concentration camp in Rafah. The opening of the Magen Oz corridor not only signals a significant shift in the tactical landscape of Gaza but also the political and humanitarian dynamics at play. As Israel continues to build and enforce these military routes, the international community is watching closely, weighing the balance between security objectives and humanitarian responsibilities. The long-term impact of these corridors will depend not just on military outcomes but also on the success of diplomatic efforts and adherence to international law.
Middle East Eye
3 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
ICC judges reject Israel's request to withdraw Netanyahu arrest warrant
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday rejected Israel's request to withdraw arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Israel made the request while the ICC reviews its challenge over the court's jurisdiction to weigh in on its war on Gaza. The decision, dated 9 July 2025, was published on the ICC website on Wednesday. The judges also rejected an Israeli request to suspend the court's broader investigation into alleged crimes in the occupied Palestinian Territories. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Israel argued that the warrants should be withdrawn, citing a decision by appeals judges at the ICC in April that ordered a lower panel to reconsider Israel's objections about the court's jurisdiction in Gaza. However, the judges rejected that reasoning, saying that Israel's jurisdictional challenge was still pending and the warrants would remain in place until the court ruled on that issue specifically. The ICC has come under intense pressure to drop its war crimes probe. Earlier this month, a senior legal advisor to the US State Department issued a dramatic threat to the court's oversight body, warning that "all options are on the table". "We will use all appropriate and effective diplomatic, political and legal instruments to block ICC overreach," Reed Rubinstein, the US representative, warned. The threat came just before the Trump administration announced it was imposing sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN's special rapporteur for Palestine. The sanctions follow Albanese's scathing report on 30 June, in which she named over 60 companies, including major US technology firms like Google, Amazon and Microsoft, which she said were involved in "the transformation of Israel's economy of occupation to an economy of genocide". Israel's effort to stop the ICC has, to date, failed to bear fruit. Middle East Eye revealed on Tuesday that a British-Israeli defence lawyer threatened in May to ''destroy" the British chief prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan, unless he withdrew the arrest warrants.
Middle East Eye
3 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Several states vow to take six 'concrete' steps against Israel at Bogota summit
A coalition of states from around the world gathering in Bogota on Wednesday agreed to implement six measures to stop Israel's onslaught on Gaza and prevent violations of international law. The announcement came as part of an "emergency summit" in the Colombian capital, co-hosted by the governments of Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs of The Hague Group, to coordinate diplomatic and legal action to counter what they describe as "a climate of impunity" enabled by Israel and its powerful allies. The Hague Group is currently a bloc of eight states, launched on 31 January in the eponymous Dutch city, with the stated goal of holding Israel accountable under international law. The conference brought together more than 30 states, including Algeria; Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Chile; China; Cuba; Djibouti; Honduras; Indonesia; Iraq; Ireland; Lebanon; Libya; Malaysia; Mexico; Namibia; Nicaragua; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palestine; Portugal; Spain; Qatar; Turkey; Slovenia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Uruguay; and Venezuela. "We came to Bogota to make history - and we did," said Colombian President Gustavo Petro. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "Together, we have begun the work of ending the era of impunity. These measures show that we will no longer allow international law to be treated as optional, or Palestinian life as disposable." "In the deliberations at the Bogota conference, all 30 participating states unanimously agreed that the era of impunity must end - and that international law must be enforced without fear or favour through immediate domestic policies and legislation - along with a unified call for an immediate ceasefire," the Hague Group said in a statement. To kickstart that process, the group said that 12 states from across the world - Bolivia; Colombia; Cuba; Indonesia; Iraq; Libya; Malaysia; Namibia; Nicaragua; Oman; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; and South Africa - have committed to implementing the six measures immediately through their domestic legal and administrative systems. The measures seek to "break the ties of complicity with Israel's campaign of devastation in Palestine", the group added. A date has been set for 20 September 2025, coinciding with the 80th UN General Assembly, for additional states to join them in adopting the measures, the statement added. "Consultations with capitals across the world are now ongoing." What are the six measures? The six measures are as follows: 1. Prevent the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel. 2. Prevent the transit, docking, and servicing of vessels at any port…. in all cases where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel. 3. Prevent the carriage of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel on vessels bearing our flag… and ensure full accountability, including de-flagging, for non-compliance with this prohibition. Holding Israel accountable: What is The Hague Group? Read More » 4. Commence an urgent review of all public contracts, to prevent public institutions and funds from supporting Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory and entrenching its unlawful presence. 5. Comply with obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law, through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes. 6. Support universal jurisdiction mandates, as and where applicable in national legal frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for victims of international crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In her closing speech, Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, said: "These aren't just measures but are lifelines for a people who are under relentless assault and a world that has been paralysed for too long." "These 12 states have taken a momentous step forward," Albanese added. "The clock is now ticking for states, from Europe to the Arab world and beyond, to join them." The conference agreed to set a deadline for states' final decisions by September 2025, in line with the 12-month timeframe mandated by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-10/24, adopted on 18 September 2024. That resolution called on all states to take effective action on Israel's violations of international law, including accountability, sanctions, and cessation of support, within one year of adoption. "What we have achieved here is a collective affirmation that no state is above the law," said South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola. "The Hague Group was born to advance international law in an era of impunity. The measures adopted in Bogotá show that we are serious, and that coordinated state action is possible." Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, the executive secretary of The Hague Group, said: "This conference marks a turning point, not just for Palestine, but for the future of the international system. "For decades, states, particularly in the Global South, have borne the cost of a broken international system. In Bogotá, they came together to reclaim it, not with words, but with actions." Israel's war on Gaza, increasingly condemned by experts and governments as a genocide, has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians and displaced almost the entire population since October 2023. The onslaught has left the Palestinian enclave barely habitable and around two million on the brink of starvation.
