The ICJ has spoken – the Labour Party is in denial
The ICJ has given a powerful weapon to the Palestinians and the international community in its provisional judgement delivered on 26th January 2024. The verdict was delivered by seventeen judges, drawn from different states, including the USA and Israel. The rulings of the Court were all agreed almost unanimously, with even the Israeli judge voting for two of the six, thereby strengthening the judgement.
Some have expressed regret that the judgement did not go further and make an unambiguous call for Ceasefire Now. Paradoxically, these expressions of regret aid the Israelis who are trying to claim that the judgment changes nothing. But, as the South African Minister of International Relations explained, full implementation of the ruling would in effect be a permanent ceasefire.
The judgement does not, of itself change anything immediately on the ground but it greatly strengthens the hand of those who are determined to advance Palestinian rights and end Israeli Apartheid and Israel’s continual breaches of international law.
We would have expected the Labour Party to welcome the judgement without reservation and to have used every available opportunity to press the British Government to join the call for Ceasefire Now and demand that the Israelis end their brutal assault on the people of Gaza and immediately remove all blocks to humanitarian assistance.
We would also expect the Labour Party to understand the full implications of Article 1 of the Genocide Convention for UK actions:
The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.
While the ICJ have yet to rule on whether the Israeli assault on Gaza amounts to genocide their judgement that it is plausible puts supporters of Israel on notice. If there is a finding of genocide, then all those states that did not take action to prevent it will be guilty of complicity. This means that Labour in opposition must press the Government not to assist this plausible genocide and as a Government later this year must end immediately arms sales to Israel.
The hasty action of the Government, with the support of the Labour Party, to withdraw funding for UNRWA compounds a breach of the fourth of the ICJ’s orders:
The State of Israel shall take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip;
UNRWA is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the freezing of its funds at the behest of the Israelis directly contradicts this order. Removing UNRWA has been a long-standing ambition of the Israelis and the end of UNRWA would even further increase Gazan dependence on very scarce Israeli goodwill.
The judgement raises questions about the anti-BDS bill which is just about to be debated in the House of Lords. There is much disquiet in the Lords about many aspects of the bill and the ICJ judgement will give the dissidents much ammunition. It should enable them to pass amendments that will greatly restrict the impact of the legislation, in particular the clauses that give privileged status to Israel. When the bill returns to the Commons JVL will be joining the mass campaign to demand Starmer leads a fierce defence of the Lords’ amendments. It will be acutely embarrassing for Sunak and Gove to try to single out Israel for particular protection when the clear implication of the ICJ judgement is that if Israel does not comply with its rulings Britain, like all states, must impose sanctions on Israel.
Israel, unsurprisingly, rejects the Court and its judgement, with Prime Minister Netanyahu claiming that it discriminates against a Jewish state and therefore is in other words, is antisemitic.
The widening of the definition of antisemitism to include criticisms of Israel, set out in the examples attached to the IHRA, has been imposed on public institutions, acting as guidance for the police and adopted by many universities and local councils. The ICJ judgement gives objectors a strong basis to reject its further imposition and to demand its withdrawal, now that the highest International Court in the world is deliberating on whether Israel, a state founded on genocide, is itself guilty of that ultimate crime against humanity.
The Labour Party’s complicity in Israel’s actions towards genocide and its conflation of antisemitism with pro-Palestinian activities and anti-Zionism shreds Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘reforms’ of the Party – supposedly making it anti-racist – to pieces. Starmer and his leadership team have lost all moral authority. The judgement allows Labour Party members to reopen the issue of the widespread disciplinary action taken against Labour Party members falsely accused of antisemitism. Most of those members were pointing out that the potential for the brutal assault and devastation in Gaza was already implicit in Israeli politics and society prior to October 7th.
Starmer seems intent on ignoring the Court’s judgement and continues his purge of Left wing Labour MP’s, with Kate Osamor now joining Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott and Andy MacDonald: suspended from the Parliamentary Party on spurious charges of antisemitism. Meanwhile, his Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy has put out a statement that the Government should comply with all the Court’s requirements. Somewhat risibly, Lammy claims that the Court’s deliberations had been supported by the Party all along, seeming to forget the numerous statements about Israel having a right to defend itself, condemnation of “hate marches” and the Labour Friends of Israel “show of solidarity” to Israel during the Court’s proceedings.
If the judgement offers opportunities for those who support the struggle for justice in Palestine/Israel it offers nothing but problems for Netanyahu. He has vowed to continue the war on Gaza, in breach of the ICJ ruling. This should have consequences, even from the USA who will be more exposed than ever if they veto enforcement measures at the Security Council. If Netanyahu accedes to the ICJ in any way the far ultra-right of his coalition will rebel; his government will fall; and Netanyahu may well face prison on the corruption charges currently before the Israeli courts.
The international order is in flux, the global south’s call for justice is being heard, JVL will play its part in ensuring this results in fundamental change.
I can’t wait to hear Keir Starmer’s coruscating attack on Sunak in tomorrow’s PMQs on having cut funding to UNWRA on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations from Israeli security forces based on statements obtained under torture from Palestinian prisoners, thereby inflicting Collective Punishment on the Palestinian People.
Starmer’s Labour is locked into Israel. It’s one principle they appear to hold. The entire front bench are complicit in Israels genocide. How it came to this – and how the Party membership and the PLP have largely accepted this, is an appalling indictment of Labour’s mendacity. No excuses. If we don’t call them out we endorse them.
It is amazing that the leader of the Labor Party ,often conflates his political philosophy with his legal background .When the Bristol monument of Edward Coulson was brought down by protesters Starmer said it should have gone ‘a long, long time ago’, but not that way.In other words the law was broken .What a contrast when it comes to Israel
Starmer in effect has turned the Labour Party which he runs, into the British branch of the IDF. With both major political Parties heavily influenced by Israel, British democracy is an illusion.
Meanwhile David Cameron, I hear, has suggested to the Conservative Middle East Council last night that there should be ‘a new approach to the idea of a Palestinian State’ welcomed by the head of the Palestinian Mission in London, angering some Tory MPs but strongly endorsed by Sir Vincent Fean, speaking on The World Tonight, including how to go about it with the UN. He implied that the proposal had the tacit approval of Rishi Sunak. Have they seen the way opinions are going before Starmer, and, might this be regarded by them as a vote winner?! Blimey, it might solve my problem of who to vote for come the Election! (Edvard Munch The Scream emoji)
It, really, is bewildering – sort of – to see Lisa Nandy, one moment, stood alongside Rabbi Mirvis, the President of the BoD and other Zionist luminaries supporting the Netanyahu government, one week, then seeing her – and David Lammy – stand in Parliament pleading for aid for the Palestinians, the next week.
If only they’d listened to the Independent MP’s who have been calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for the Palestinians for weeks – if not months.
Perhaps, since before this present catastrophe had, even, begun.
One last thing – please remember, it is the UK(English) Parliament that have withdrawn support from UNRWA.
The Scottish Parliament continues to support the UNRWA, small as their contribution may be, by comparison
Thanks so much for this article. The judgement of the ICJ is that if Israel do not stop the attacks against Palestinians in Gaza the reality on the ground will turn into a genocide according to international law. I do think though, that genocide it is at the moment and that the message of the ICJ is to be heeded by US, Israel, its allies and Hamas.
One can only hope that this madness will end, though Netanyahu and his far right extremists are still in control.
I too am very appreciative of this superb wide-ranging JVL statement about the ICJ ruling on the genocide being ordered, done and endorsed. If only our ruling establishment had the intelligence and humility to understand.
Control by its rotten hierarchy has taken the Labour Party to the bottom.
For the first time in my adult voting life I will not use my proxy vote at the GE (I live abroad). I can’t bring myself to vote for the LP on the basis that it is better than the alternative, because in reality it is no longer better than the alternative with respect to Palestine. I don’t want to give the LP even a nominal tick, and there is no-one else I can give my vote to. I feel morally disenfranchised – I don’t want to taint my vote. .
The other week I received (as did someone else) an email from my CLP exec censuring me for holding one end of the LP branch banner at a pro Palestine march in Malaga – I apparently had disrespected the LP and its members because I had no right to touch the banner as an expelled member. The irony is that I myself felt uncomfortable holding the banner (I wanted to sew on “LEFT” to distinguish us from the rest of the LP leadership) but wanted to show that not all of the LP feels the same as Starmer and his patsies.