[IsraelTimes] More than 300 civil servants at Britain’s foreign ministry have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressing concerns about Israel’s conduct in Gaza, the BBC reports.
The officials warned of potential UK “complicity” in what they called “Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law” during the war in the Palestinian territory, sparked by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel.
The letter dated May 16 questioned the continuation of some UK arms sales to the country, according to the broadcaster.
“In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law and potential UK government complicity,” the staff wrote, according to excerpts cited by the BBC.
“In the intervening period, the reality of Israel’s disregard for international law has become more stark,” they added, citing the killing of humanitarian workers, restrictions on international aid and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Israel denies having violated international law amid the fighting in Gaza.
The letter added that the UK government had contributed to “the erosion of global norms,” including through weapons exports, the broadcaster reports.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government suspended some 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel in September 2024, citing a “risk” they could be used in violations of international law.
London has also sanctioned settlers in the West Bank and suspended negotiations on a new free trade agreement with Israel.
But it continues to supply components for F-35 fighter jets to a global pool that Israel is able to access.
The BBC reports that the two most senior officials in the FCDO replied to the letter by saying the signatories could “resign” if they disagreed with government policy.
“This is an honourable course,” they told staff, the BBC reports, adding that the response shocked the civil servants.
The FCDO spokesperson says, “It is the job of civil servants to deliver on the policies of the government of the day.”
“There are systems in place which allow them to raise concerns if they have them,” they add. 
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