‘Prime Minister Starmer must not provide diplomatic cover for a state committing genocide’ - Sacha Deshmukh 

Ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to the UK this week, Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, said: 

“Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and Isaac Herzog is the head of state of the country carrying it out. His position may be largely ceremonial, but he has chosen to use it to defend collective punishment, even declaring that all Palestinians were responsible for the crimes of October 7. Those dehumanising words were cited by the International Court of Justice as evidence of the risk of genocide in Gaza. Such language has helped legitimise mass killing of civilians, including children, as well as deliberate starvation and the large-scale destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. 

“Prime Minister Starmer must not provide diplomatic cover for a state committing genocide. The UK has clear obligations under the Genocide Convention to prevent and punish genocide and a moral duty to humanity: stop all arms exports to Israel, fully support the ICC and resist efforts to undermine it, enforce ICJ rulings, ban settlement goods, adopt targeted sanctions against those Israeli officials most implicated in international crimes, and demand an end to Israel’s system of apartheid and illegal occupation. 

“This visit is a test of leadership and principle: polite handshakes and warm words will demonstrate neither. The UK will be judged on whether it took strong action against genocide, or helped to whitewash it.” 

Amnesty’s calls to action 

• End all UK arms exports to Israel 
• Support the ICC and enforce its arrest warrants 
• Implement ICJ rulings in full 
• Ban all trade with Israeli settlements 
• Adopt targeted sanctions against those Israeli officials most implicated in international crimes 
• Demand dismantling of apartheid and an end to Israel’s occupation