What is it Keir Starmer cannot understand about the idea of “collective punishment”?

JVL Introduction

Keir Starmer, passionately committed to upholding the UN Charter and the ideas within it seems incapable of understanding them.

According to Robert Peston, Starmer was implacably opposed to the wording in the SNP motion, calling for a ceasefire because it stated clearly that Israel is engaged in the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.

The compilation of quotations below, by a JVL supporter, shows, that most senior UN officials and rapporteurs of substance – ranging from Antonio Guterres to Francesca Albanese, Alice Wairimu Nderitu to Volker Turk and beyond – are on the record in believing that Israel is engaged in “collective punishment” of the Palestinians.

Does Keir Starmer know something these highest-ranking officials and rapporteurs don’t? Or is he just grovelling before Joe Biden?

Answers on a postcard please…

RK

Labour versus the United Nations

Labour will always be committed to the ideals embodied in the UN Charter, signed 75 years ago today: peace, justice, the international rule of law and the full protection of the human rights and dignity of all. (Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, 26 June 2020)

—

On Wednesday 21 February 2024, senior Labour Party MPs and their leader, Sir Keir, used underhanded methods to pressure the Speaker of the House of Commons to breach parliamentary convention. Their motive was to prevent a possible rebellion against the Labour whip: the Scottish National Party had submitted a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire and demanding an end to Israel’s ‘collective punishment’ of the population of Gaza; Labour considered this wording too critical of Israel; therefore, in order to avoid a split in the party, Labour resolved to submit its own diluted amendment to the SNP motion, which would give its MPs a way to vote for a ceasefire without censuring Israel’s conduct. According to parliamentary convention, Labour, being an opposition party, would not normally be allowed to amend the motion of another opposition party. The Speaker, therefore, would have to be cajoled into bowing to Sir Keir’s will; and to Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s permanent shame, he capitulated. Every excuse offered for this breach of convention, excuses for which no evidence has been presented, must be seen in light of these political machinations.

We will expatiate no further on matters of procedure: it is sufficient, for our purposes, to understand that Labour pursued this dishonourable course with the intention of hindering criticism of Israel and forestalling a rebellion against Sir Keir. The result was, that the SNP’s motion was not even voted on—despite the Speaker having been warned of this possibility by the Clerk of the House.

It has been reported that Sir Keir ‘hates’ the accusation of collective punishment against Israel. Labour MP Harriet Harman has said publicly that Labour did not vote for the SNP motion ‘Because there were certain differences in our motions – our motion wanted to absolutely condemn the terrorism and call for the hostage release, their motion had condemning Israelis for what they describe as collective punishment.’ We cannot fail to remember that Sir Keir endorsed Israel’s ‘right’ to collectively punish Palestinians on national radio, though he was eventually compelled to amend his remarks. And we should add that Labour’s amendment removed the SNP’s reference to collective punishment.

By now numerous international authorities have described Israel’s conduct, and that of its allies, as collective punishment of Palestinians. The Labour Party claims to support international law and international institutions, but firmly opposes the findings of United Nations officials on this matter, to the extent that it sabotaged a parliamentary motion reprimanding Israel.

Below we have compiled statements by UN officials proving, beyond doubt, that Labour opposes international authorities, and is in no way sincere about its ‘commitment’ to law, peace, or justice.

Emphases added.

Ending [UNRWA] funding almost instantaneously based on unsubstantiated claims against a small number of people has no other purpose other than collective punishment of all Palestinians in multiple countries. The countries that withdrew this lifeline are undoubtedly complicit in the starvation of Palestinians (UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhri, 27 February 2024)

The blockade and siege imposed on Gaza amount to collective punishment and may also amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which are war crimes, and may also, depending on further investigation, amount to other serious crimes under international law. (Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, 13 February 2024)

The High Commissioner … calls on Israel to … immediately end all practices of collective punishment, including lifting its blockade and closures – and the “complete siege” – of Gaza, and urgently ensure immediate access to humanitarian and commercial goods throughout Gaza, commensurate with the immense humanitarian needs (Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, 13 February 2024)

we reiterate our calls for member States to reverse their funding suspension to the UN Agency for Palestine refugees in the near East (UNRWA) … Such broad measures, suspending or halting funding to entire organisations, are grossly disproportionate, appear politically motivated and contribute to collective punishment against Palestinian civilians already subjected to immense suffering, killing and starvation. (Statement by nine UN experts, 13 February 2024)

Echoing the words of the Secretary-General, the Special Adviser reiterates that violations of international humanitarian law can never justify the collective punishment of the people in Gaza. (Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, 9 February 2024)

The day after @ICJ concluded that Israel is plausibly committing Genocide in Gaza, some states decided to defund UNRWA, collectively punishing millions of Palestinians at the most critical time, and most likely violating their obligations under the Genocide Convention. (UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, 27 January 2024)

Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is beyond words. Nowhere and no one is safe. (UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, 24 January 2024)

Betancur reiterated her concerns that Israel’s actions amount to the war crimes of collective punishment and forcible transfer. (UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur, 22 December 2023)

Israel has imposed a near-total siege on Gaza — inflicting collective punishment on more than 2 million people, half of whom are children. (Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, 9 December)

The experts expressed alarm that the entry and provision of humanitarian aid has dwindled since the resumption of hostilities, due to shortages in basic supplies, lack of fuel, disrupted communications, movement restrictions and severe insecurity in the besieged Gaza strip. They suggested that such actions could be tantamount to collective punishment, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law. (Statement signed by over 40 UN experts, 8 December 2023)

The world bore witness of week upon week of horror since this latest crisis began, marked by extremely grave concerns around wilful killing of civilians, firing of indiscriminate rockets, indiscriminate attacks using explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas, forms of collective punishment, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and hostage-taking – all forbidden under international law. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, 3 December 2023)

I have been clear in my condemnation of the terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October. But I have also been clear that they cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. (UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, 28 November 2023)

The siege is a collective punishment. Conditioning humanitarian assistance is also a collective punishment. (Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, 21 November 2023)

2.2 million people are being denied access to life’s essentials, which amounts to collective punishment. (Deputy Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Natalie Boucly, 17 November 2023)

Collective punishment – as in the case of Israel’s blockade and siege imposed on Gaza – is prohibited … All forms of collective punishment must come to an end. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, 16 November 2023)

The collective punishment being meted out to the civilians in Gaza is being extended into the West Bank, where people have been forced from their land or worse, for no reason other than that they are Palestinian. (Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, 9 November 2023)

The collective punishment by Israel of Palestinian civilians amounts also to a war crime, as does the unlawful forcible evacuation of civilians. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, 8 November 2023)

The current siege imposed on Gaza is collective punishment (Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, 30 October 2023)

Action by Israel to cut off civilians from access to essential goods and services as a form of collective punishment, also violates international law. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, 23 October 2023)

I wholly condemn Hamas atrocities & the response by Israel which amounts to collective punishment. There is no justification of indiscriminate targeting of civilians by any actor. (UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, 13 October 2023)

This amounts to collective punishment … There is no justification for violence that indiscriminately targets innocent civilians, whether by Hamas or Israeli forces. This is absolutely prohibited under international law and amounts to a war crime. (Statement signed by over 50 UN experts, 12 October 2023)

Israel’s ongoing collective punishment against Gaza must cease. (UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, 11 October 2023)