THE Foreign Secretary has been accused of “failing to take his job seriously” after refusing to answer questions about imposing sanctions on the Israeli Government.
Last month, David Lammy told the House of Commons that the Israeli Government’s actions were “a breach of international law” through their blockade of aid into Gaza.
However, Prime Minister Keir Starmer distanced himself from Lammy’s claim less than 24 hours later, saying that any illegality is for global courts to determine.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for suspected war crimes last year.
Lammy has now been accused of failing to “follow through with his own words” after he didn’t show up to answer queries about implementing sanctions on Israel at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office questions on Tuesday.
Instead, the Labour MP sent a junior minister to the dispatch box, who has been accused of dodging the question by the SNP’s Stephen Gethins.
The Arbroath and Broughty Ferry MP said the deliberate UK inaction will send a message to Israel that they will not face sanctions despite breaching international law.
“Today’s embarrassing attempts by the Foreign Secretary to duck and dodge a simple question on sanctions shows that David Lammy is fond of his own rhetoric but ultimately fails to take his job seriously,” Gethins (above) said.
“Only a few weeks ago the Foreign Secretary was explicit that Israel have broken international law – if the UK fails to impose any sanctions, then David Lammy is by definition failing to back up his words with any actions – a growing theme of this Labour Government.
“That deliberate UK inaction also sends the signal to the Netanyahu government that they will face no sanction and no consequence for their actions – even if they blatantly break international law. That is the essence of providing Israel with impunity.
“Instead of backtracking on his own words, the Foreign Secretary should finally take seriously the responsibility he has to protect the people of Gaza and international law by imposing justified sanctions on the Israeli government.”
Gethins added that immediate action is “all the more important” after Israel broke the fragile ceasefire agreement in Gaza last month.
He said: “Sanctions against Israel now would also be a significant statement that those who breach ceasefires will face consequences.”
The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.
