Amnesty Accuses UK Politicians of Downplaying Gravity of Gaza Human Rights Violations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Rights group Amnesty International accused UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and senior opposition member Lisa Nandy of downplaying the severity of Israeli human rights violations in the Gaza Strip.
"By refusing to condemn clear breaches of international law, by not saying clearly that Israel's restriction of water and food is collective punishment and a war crime, and that Israel's evacuation order amounts to forcible displacement, UK politicians are diminishing the gravity of Israel's actions," stated Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK Chief Executive in a statement.
Sunak and Nandy, the shadow cabinet secretary for international development, faced criticism for their failure to condemn Israel's total blockade of the Gaza Strip during recent interviews.
Responding to these comments, Deshmukh emphasized, "It is right that the Prime Minister and other leading UK politicians are calling for the restoration of water and humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. But the fact that neither the government nor the main opposition party are willing to condemn Israel's clear breaches of international law is wrong and fails to hold Israel accountable consistently.
"…Israel is responding to war crimes with more war crimes, which can never be justified, rationalized, or ignored. UK politicians must explicitly oppose all war crimes," Deshmukh continued.
Deshmukh stressed the urgency of the situation in Gaza, with multiple UN agencies describing it as "catastrophic."
"Israel's evacuation order amounts to forcible displacement, UK politicians are diminishing the gravity of Israel's actions, limiting pressure on Israel to change course, and contributing to an environment where human rights violations against Palestinians are minimized," he asserted.
"… Israel must lift the blockade of Gaza, rescind its evacuation order, and refrain from unlawful and indiscriminate attacks. All are clear violations of international humanitarian law; they must be condemned, and there must be increased calls for justice and accountability, including via the International Criminal Court, to help address the root causes of this decades-long crisis," Deshmukh concluded.
Amnesty International's allegations have put UK leaders under further scrutiny regarding their stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and their commitment to upholding human rights.
The latest conflict erupted on October 7 after the Hamas resistance movement launched a surprise attack on occupied territories as a natural reaction by Palestinians in the face of continued Israeli crimes. Israel responded with force, declaring war on the besieged Gaza Strip and subjecting the territory to relentless bombardment. At least 4,651 Palestinians have been killed so far.