The British government has firmly concluded that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, a decision that sharply rebukes widespread accusations leveled against the Jewish state.
In a September 1 letter to Sarah Champion, chair of the international development committee, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy wrote that while the suffering in Gaza is “utterly appalling,” Israel’s conduct does not meet the strict legal definition of genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The convention requires clear intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group — intent that the UK says does not exist in Israel’s actions.
This is the first time the UK government has explicitly stated that genocide claims against Israel are baseless. Lammy noted the position was reached after careful legal review, including during preparations for the Al Haq vs F-35 case, which sought to halt arms sales to Israel.
Although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has warned of potential risks, it has never found Israel guilty of genocide or in violation of its obligations under the convention.