Corbyn criticises ‘silence and evasion’ over Gaza in call for UK inquiry
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for an inquiry into Britain’s relationship with Israel.
Questions about Britain’s relationship with Israel are met with “silence and evasion”, Jeremy Corbyn has claimed in fresh calls for a Gaza inquiry.
The former Labour leader will use Parliament’s ten-minute rule to demand a probe into what he described as “Britain’s role in genocide”.
He is due to table his Gaza (Independent Public Inquiry) Bill in the Commons on June 4, which he can support with a speech lasting up to 10 minutes.
“We are witnessing a genocide, livestreamed before the entire world, and Britain’s continued military co-operation with Israel is utterly indefensible,” Mr Corbyn said.
The now-independent MP for Islington North added: “The public deserves to know the full scale of the UK’s complicity in crimes against humanity – and we are not going anywhere until we have established the truth.”
He also told the PA news agency: “Every week, MPs ask questions about the extent of Britain’s military co-operation with Israel, including the supply and use of arms, military intelligence and British air bases.
“Every week, these questions are met with silence and evasion.
“It’s time for a public inquiry into Britain’s role in genocide — and for the truth to come out.”
If Mr Corbyn’s Bill receives MPs’ backing next month, he faces a battle for parliamentary time so that it can clear the necessary stages and become law, but its progress could be accelerated if it attracts Government support.
If it is agreed, the Bill would “require the inquiry to consider any UK military, economic or political co-operation with Israel since October 2023”, the month when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 others.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The inquiry would look at “the sale, supply or use of weapons, surveillance aircraft and Royal Air Force bases” in the Middle East, and would have powers to “question ministers and officials about decisions taken in relation to UK involvement”.
The UK Government last year suspended around 30 arms export licences covering items used in the conflict in Gaza, from a total of approximately 350 licences to Israel.
A UK assessment concluded “there is a clear risk certain military exports to Israel might be used in violations of international humanitarian law”.
