Jeremy Corbyn to host unofficial Gaza tribunal, examine UK role in war
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Jeremy Corbyn will lead an unofficial tribunal to examine the UK's complicity in the Gaza genocide, after the UK government blocked a formal investigation into Britain's role in supporting "Israel's" assault on Gaza.
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Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, gives an impromptu speech during the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England, on Sept. 24, 2019 (AP)
Independent MP and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is set to host an unofficial "Gaza Tribunal" after the UK government blocked his proposed bill to investigate the country's role in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Corbyn had introduced the Gaza Inquiry (Independent Public Investigation) bill in Parliament on June 4, following a March letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for a comprehensive investigation. Although the bill passed its first reading, it was halted during the second reading on July 4 due to objections from the government.
In response, Corbyn announced on Thursday that he would organize an unofficial tribunal in September. The initiative aims to expose the full extent of the United Kingdom's involvement in the Israeli war against Gaza, which he emphasized is a genocide.
The two-day tribunal will feature testimony from survivors, legal experts, lawyers, and whistleblowers. It is designed to act as a public inquiry modeled after the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War.
More than 50 MPs, including all nine Scottish National Party members and several Labour MPs, along with 22 human rights organizations, supported Corbyn's bill.
Objectives of the people’s tribunal
The tribunal intends to fill the accountability vacuum left by the government's refusal to authorize an official investigation. It seeks to highlight how British institutions may have enabled or supported "Israel’s" military operations in Gaza.
Survivors and witnesses will testify about the scale of destruction, humanitarian suffering, and the broader impact of the war on Gaza’s population.
Legal experts will assess the UK’s responsibilities under both domestic and international law, clarifying obligations that may have been violated or neglected.
The tribunal will also examine Britain’s role in supporting "Israel’s" military actions. This includes, but is not limited to, arms transfers, the use of surveillance drones, and access granted to Royal Air Force bases.
The final phase of the tribunal will evaluate whether the UK met its legal obligations in relation to international humanitarian law and its domestic statutes.
Corbyn: 'They cannot hide the truth'
Commenting on the government's stance, Corbyn said, “As with Iraq, government ministers are doing everything they can to hide the truth. And as with Iraq, they will not succeed. They cannot stop the inevitable: a full and independent inquiry. We will expose the full extent of British complicity in genocide, and we will secure justice for the people of Palestine.”
