On 14 July, David Lammy met with Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in one of his first trips as foreign secretary.
Since 7 October, Israel has killed 39,159 Palestinian people including over 15,000 children. On his trip, Lammy also visited Palestine and met with the Palestinian authority prime minister Mohammad Mustafa.
Today I met with Israeli PM @netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority PM Mustafa.
Our message is clear: we need an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, unfettered access to aid in Gaza, and a pathway towards a two-state solution. pic.twitter.com/kmmIBsHgov
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 14, 2024
In calling for the release of “all hostages”, the MP for Tottenham doesn’t make it clear that Israel is holding 3,615 Palestinian people in ‘administrative detention’, where they are locked up indefinitely without charge or trial. This is a longstanding practice of Israel that has escalated since 7 October. These are essentially hostages alongside the 119 Israeli people Hamas holds captive.
David Lammy: ignoring atrocities
Despite his ‘diplomatic efforts’, David Lammy has not commented on an Israeli bombardment that killed at least 90 Palestinian people and wounded more than 300 other people the day before his visit. Israel used several strikes of bombs and missiles to carry out the attack on a zone it previously designated as safe: al Mawasi, which is west of the south Gaza city of the largely destroyed Khan Younis.
The foreign secretary has also refused to ban arms sales to Israel or end the spy missions the UK military has flown over Gaza in support of Israel. From 3 December to 8 May, the UK had flown over 200 missions to surveil on behalf of Israel.
“Obscene” visit to Israel
On social media, people reacted to David Lammy meeting Netanyahu:
Here’s our Foreign Secretary shaking hands with a war criminal
This is OBSCENE @DavidLammy pic.twitter.com/5a09uqCSY1
— Stop The Bollocks with Mirabel (@MirabelTweets1) July 14, 2024
International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders including Netanyahu.
It’s the disgusting look of pride on David Lammy’s face as he shakes the hand of a racist genocidal monster.
Boycott Israel 🇮🇱
Sanctions
Arms embargo
The HagueRecognise Palestine 🇵🇸 now. pic.twitter.com/sjoVvqZKwj
— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) July 14, 2024
Others questioned how Lammy was upholding international law in his diplomacy:
Why would the British foreign secretary want to be associated — in a photograph — with a man facing an arrest warrant at the International Criminal Court? Imagine this was Putin, or any other war criminal? How is this restoring our support for a “rules based order”? https://t.co/JZ8lJCRPrk
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) July 14, 2024
In fact, Lammy and the Labour Party have not said whether they will drop a UK government legal challenge to the ICC. In an attempt to disrupt ICC proceedings, Rishi Sunak’s administration has argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over Palestine. That’s despite Palestine being an ICC member state since 2015.
We must continue to call for an end to the genocide.
Featured image via The Economic Times – YouTube
