Twenty-five organizations urge UK government to address trade relations with Israel amid legal obligations

LONDON: The Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and 24 other organizations have written to the British Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, calling for an urgent review of trade relations with Israel to ensure full compliance with the UK's international legal obligations and uphold respect for human rights. 'We write as human rights, development, humanitarian and faith-based organizations concerned that the UK government should actively commit to upholding human rights and international law through its trade and diplomatic relationships,' said the signatories of the open letter. The letter denuded addressing trade relations with Israel and ensuring the UK's full compliance with its international legal obligations. 'We note your statement on 29 July 2024 which committed to delivering trade talks with Israel, amongst other priority countries.' 'On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued legal findings that Israel's serious breaches of international la w in the occupied Palestinian territory render its presence there to be a continuing 'internationally wrongful act' that must 'end as rapidly as possible'. The ICJ's advisory opinion, together with international humanitarian law, entails legal responsibilities on all third States to take measures to ensure the termination of Israel's unlawful occupation,' read the letter. 'As clarified by the authoritative ICJ advisory opinion, it is essential for the UK and all other third States to ensure that they act in full conformity with their obligations under international law not to recognize as lawful, nor aid or assist, the situation created by Israel's 'unlawful presence' in the occupied Palestinian territory,' stressed the letter. The letter emphasized that the UK must also fully comply with its related obligation under international law to cooperate to lawfully bring this illegal situation to an end. 'We accordingly believe it is a clear matter of necessity for your department to immediately undertake a thor ough review of the existing UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement and its associated trade privileges, as well as its current negotiating strategy with Israel on a new free trade agreement, so as to ensure that the UK government is acting in full compliance with its international obligations in response to Israel's internationally wrongful acts.' The letter continued: 'Given the gravity of Israel's serious breaches of international law as determined by the ICJ, in addition to recent exceptionally serious findings of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law made by several independent international bodies on Israel's use of force and accompanying policies in Gaza, we further believe it is necessary for the UK government to suspend its existing trade agreement with Israel and the current negotiations over a free trade agreement, pending the outcome of a thorough review and the end of widespread and systematic human rights violations committed by Israeli authorities in Gaza, the West Ba nk and Israel.' 'You will be aware that the existing trade agreement incorporates respect for human rights as an 'essential element' of the agreement, entitling the UK to invoke its breach as a ground to terminate or suspend the agreement in whole or in part,' said the 25 signatories. The letter emphasized that Israel's serious breaches of international law as found by the ICJ, coupled with decades of lack of application of consequences, is a core driver of poverty, deprivation and the perpetual humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory. Source: Palestine news & Information Agency - WAFA