War on Gaza: Cross-party group of British MPs call for sanctions on Israel
Nearly 50 British MPs from seven political parties have backed a motion calling for the Labour government to impose sanctions on Israel.
The motion, tabled by independent MP Richard Burgon, calls for the government to respect the United Nations General Assembly's 18 September resolution demanding Israel rapidly ends its occupation of the Palestinian territories, on which the UK abstained - as well as the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion that Israel's occupation violates international law.
It "welcomes that the UN resolution calls on states to comply with their obligations under international law and to take concrete steps to address Israel's lawful presence in the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territory]".
Following on from that, the motion says that the House of Commons "believes the adoption of this resolution places new obligations on the Government".
It "calls on the Government to act in support of the UN resolution and ICJ opinion including by ending all military exports to Israel, banning the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements and revoking the 2030 Roadmap which deepens UK economic, trade and security ties with Israel".
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At time of publication, 47 MPs had supported the motion - mostly independent MPs, Labour backbenchers and members of nationalist parties like the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru in Wales.
The motion, tabled on 8 October, was sponsored by a coalition of independent and Labour MPs, including Zarah Sultana, who has had the Labour whip withdrawn for opposing the two-child benefit cap, as well as Labour MP and former shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott.
All five of the independent MPs who campaigned on a pro-Gaza platform have supported the motion - Jeremy Corbyn, Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Iqbal Mohamed.
One Liberal Democrat MP, Andrew George, has supported it, as well as two Green Party MPs.
But no Conservatives have supported it.
The motion is an "early day motion", meaning no day has been fixed for it to be debated. Early day motions are not usually signed by ministers.
Separately, Labour MP Olivia Blake wrote to Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Monday urging a halt to all arms sales to Israel.
"It is not only a moral but also a legal necessity that the UK halt arms sales and licensing with Israel," she wrote.
She requested that the scope of the review into UK arms licences to Israel be extended and asked when such a review would take place.
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