7 October marked one year since the Zionist occupation initiated its devastating campaign against the people of Gaza and occupied Palestine, leading to widespread destruction, immense suffering, and severe disruptions to the delivery of humanitarian aid.
All of these elements have crippled Gaza’s ability to recover and rebuild.
Just how does it get away with genocide?
A significant factor contributing to the ongoing onslaught is Israel’s ability to get away with violating international law without repercussions.
On the contrary, it receives resolute support from its Western allies in the UK and the US, who have — for the past year — justified Israel’s slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
In a similar way, hundreds of British and British-Israeli dual nationals have been travelling to Israel, in order to join the military without facing any investigation or prosecution upon return.
The disturbing entitlement given to Israel despite numerous evidences of war crimes — of crimes against humanity, which could very well constitute genocide — highlights Britain’s hypocrisy and disregard for international law.
Britain morally obliged to go after war criminals
The UK has a legal and moral obligation to prosecute its own nationals who travel abroad to participate in war crimes, as they actively did for British citizens who travelled to Ukraine or Syria.
In fact, the British authorities have even gone as far as stripping the citizenship of British aid workers who travelled to Syria to deliver emergency humanitarian aid. [1]
But Britain will go to extreme lengths to protect Israel from being held accountable for breaking international law, even at the expense of their own credibility and integrity as a nation.
Indeed, it was only in March 2024 that the UK received legal advice that Israel has breached international law and that they should act to end all sales of arms immediately. [2]
This alone should have sparked more pro-activity amongst the government to end their role in enabling Israel. That is, if they wanted to avoid prosecution due to complicity in war crimes.
Thousands of Britons aiding the genocide of Gaza?
Most damningly, the UK continues to conceal the actual number of British citizens who serve in the Israeli army, despite them all being at serious risk of contributing to crimes against humanity and genocide.
Sam Sank, an Israeli reservist from North London, told the Times that he believes there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Britons fighting for Israel. [3]
One of them is British-born Levi Simon.
Hailing from North London, IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldier Levi Simon was filmed between October 2023 and January 2024 rummaging through personal clothes of Palestinian women and waving an Israeli flag in a demolished Gazan school.
Simon proclaimed in one clip,
“We’re here, we’re here to stay, we’re not going to take your terror, and they’re going to start teaching Hebrew in this school soon.” [4]
And Aryeh King, the far-right “Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem” and British citizen, has expressed delight at seeing images of Palestinian men being humiliated and abused publicly.
A truly reprehensible reaction, King wrote on X:
“If it were up to me, I would have dispatched D-9 bulldozers and put them behind the mounds of dirt and would have given the order to cover all these hundreds of ants, while they’re still alive.” [5]
Prosecute Genocide campaign under way
Simon and King are just two cases of disturbing actions and statements committed and uttered by British citizens. This should be enough to warrant an arrest upon their return to the UK.
Given that the UK was advised in early 2024 that Israel is violating international law, the government and associated authorities have a greater duty to prevent further provocation of Israeli war crimes and genocide.
For this reason, the international NGO Human Aid & Advocacy have launched their Prosecute Genocide campaign, aimed at pressuring the Metropolitan Police to open investigations and prosecute British nationals who have travelled to Israel to join the IDF.
You can support the movement by writing an email to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley. To find out how best to draft your message, take a look at our resources online.
Source: Islam21c
Notes
[5] https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/britain-israelis-fighting-in-gaza-threat-uk-rule-law
