Sunak 'does not care' about Gaza politics amid pro-arms ban protest
4 Min Read
Pro-Palestine protesters have headed to Labour's Keir Starmer's house calling for an arms embargo on "Israel", triggering condemnations of "harassment".
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Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right, and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer pass through the Peer's Lobby to attend the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 (AP)
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in front of Labour leader Keir Starmer's house, calling for his support for an arms embargo on "Israel".
The group placed dozens of children's shoes in front of his property and raised slogans saying: "Starmer Stop the Killing," nudging at his sustained anti-Palestine and anti-Gaza policy and the Labour party's aversion to calling for the cessation of arms sales to the occupation unless clear indication of violations of international law were observed in Gaza.
Protesters had initially mobilized against "Israel's" deliberate killing of seven international aid workers, protected by international law, which the Israeli occupation forces claimed was a "grave mistake" after a flood of backlash and condemnations called out their reckless military policy in the Strip.
Three participants were arrested by the Metropolitan Police under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, a legislation instated to "stop the harassment of a person at their home address."
UK ministers rushed to denounce the protesters' actions, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak going as far as saying he "does not care" about the group's policies, "no MP should be harassed at their own home. We cannot and will not tolerate this," in a now-deleted post on X.
Rishi Sunak has deleted his tweet condemning protestors outside Keir Starmer’s house, which means that, until he says otherwise, this government encourages you to exercise your legal right to protest at the Starmer residence.
— Women for Wes (@Women4Wes) April 9, 2024
Really, make yourself at home. pic.twitter.com/YfBrU1ZXVR
Home Secretary James Cleverly also took to X to condemn the protest, saying, "This is unacceptable. There is no excuse for harassing and intimidating politicians and their families in their homes."
It is worth noting that while the death toll in Gaza since October 7 has risen to 33,360, with 75,993 injured, the UK still insists on "Israel's" right to "self-defense", even after "Israel" killed three British aid workers in Gaza.
Today marks six months since the terrorist outrage of 7th October. pic.twitter.com/Glw84US12O
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 7, 2024
UK will not block arms sales to 'Israel', says UK's Cameron
British Foreign Minister David Cameron announced on Tuesday that, after reviewing the latest legal advice, Britain would not cease arms sales to "Israel" by British companies.
Six months into the Israeli air and ground aggression on Gaza, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government faces significant pressure to revoke licenses permitting arms exports to "Israel".
"The latest assessment leaves our position on export licenses unchanged. This is consistent with the advice that I and other ministers have received," Cameron said at a press conference with his US counterpart Antony Blinken in Washington.
"And as ever, we will keep the position under review."
Britain supplied 42 million pounds ($53 million) of arms to "Israel" in 2022.
The sentiment against unquestioned support for "Israel" is spreading within British ruling circles, fueled by leaked audio recordings revealing the government's disregard for legal advice warning against supplying weapons to "Israel" for its ongoing genocide.
More than 600 lawyers, academics, retired senior judges, including three former Supreme Court Justices one of whom is the court’s former President Lady Hale, former court of appeal judges, and more than 60 KCs warned that the UK government is violating international law by perpetually arming "Israel", The Guardian reported.
The signatories, in a 17-page legal opinion letter sent to the Prime Minister on the evening of April 3, labeled the current situation in Gaza as "catastrophic", emphasizing that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that there is a "plausible risk of genocide" committed by the Israeli occupation against Gaza, which makes the UK legally obliged to take steps to prevent it, The Guardian added.
Read more: UK government refuses to go public with legal advice on Israeli crimes
UK's Palestine Action forces closure of Israeli Elbit Systems factory
Amid the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, the unwavering effort by Palestine Action has compelled Elbit Systems, "Israel’s" largest arms company, to permanently close yet another weapons factory in the UK, despite facing arrests, raids, and imprisonment.
The group announced last week that its efforts have led to the permanent closure of Elbit Systems' Elite KL factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire. This marks the third Elbit Systems site in the UK to be forced to shutter permanently by Palestine Action.
It is worth noting that Elbit Systems is known for supplying the Israeli occupation forces with drones, munitions, combat vehicles, missiles, and various other types of weaponry. According to the British newspaper Morning Star, "The majority of their arms are marketed as 'battle-tested,' meaning they have been deployed in bombardments against the Palestinian people."
