Hi John,

 

Every day, we're seeing horrific images from Palestine. Israel’s retaliation to the terrible October 7th Hamas attack has displaced nearly two million people, killed over 45,000 civilians, and triggered a humanitarian disaster. [1,2] And the UK government is fuelling it.

 

Under UK and international law, the government must stop selling weapons to any country where there is a risk they might be used in war crimes. The United Nations Commission, Amnesty, and the International Criminal Court have accused the Israeli government of war crimes months ago. [3,4,5] It’s long overdue that the UK stops fuelling these war crimes and helps to de-escalate this terrible conflict.

 

Can you call on the UK government to stop selling weapons to the Israeli government? 

You might be wondering why Greenpeace is emailing you about this issue. Greenpeace grew from a small anti-war group formed in 1971. We believe that peace is a precondition for environmental protection. In 2022, we took action and called on the UK government to stop buying Russian gas and stop funding the war in Ukraine. In 2003, we also stood against the Iraq war. [6,7] Now it is clear that the UK is fuelling war crimes, we will take a stand again.

 

A month ago, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the suspension of 30 arms licences to the Israeli government due to a "clear risk" that some UK weapons could be used in violation of international law. [8] But these suspensions only account for less than 10% of all arms licences from the UK to Israel - and just hours after Lammy announced this, news broke that a partly UK-made jet was used in an Israeli attack that killed civilians in Gaza. [9] Components for this jet are some of the licences that haven’t been suspended.

 

Since then, the war has escalated even more, with a ground invasion in Lebanon, airstrikes in Yemen and UN peacekeepers being shot at. Unless something changes, more loss of life is inevitable, and the genocide will continue to unfold. [10,11] The UK must act to de-escalate immediately. It must follow France and Spain’s lead and call for an arms embargo to the Israeli government, as well as to ban the sale of all weapons to every group involved in the conflict, and to call for the release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages. [12,13]

 

Amnesty, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and many other groups have called on the UK government to take these actions - and we at Greenpeace join them. [14,15] Can you join the broad coalition of groups and people who are calling on the government to stop arms exports to Israel now?

The human cost is harrowing and immeasurable. No country has justification to commit war crimes and target schools, hospitals and refugee camps. Over 70% of those killed in Gaza have been women and children. Our leaders must take action to stop the genocide unfolding before our eyes. [16] 

 

The war in Gaza has also seen a huge rise in emissions, ​​greater than the annual carbon footprint of more than 20 of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations and unprecedented soil, water and air pollution in the region, destroying sanitation systems. [17]

 

Ordinary people across the world want peace not war. We are the majority, the war mongers are the few. Greenpeace fights for people and the planet in which all civilians are worthy of life. So we must come together to make our collective voice heard and demand our government stops selling arms to Israel and moves to de-escalate the conflict immediately.

 

In love, solidarity, and hope,

 

Anthony 

Greenpeace UK

 

Notes:

[1] Noting More than 45,000 Palestinians Have Been Killed in Gaza, Assistant Secretary-General Tells Security Council ‘Ceasefire Is Long Overdue’ | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

[2] About 90% of people in Gaza displaced since war began, says UN agency

[3] UN Commission finds war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israeli attacks on Gaza health facilities and treatment of detainees, hostages

[4] ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for Israeli PM and Hamas officials for war crimes

[5] Damning evidence of war crimes as Israeli attacks wipe out entire families in Gaza

[6] Tanker carrying 33,000 tonnes of Russian diesel forced to U-turn by Greenpeace activists

[7] Greenpeace blocks military port

[8] UK to suspend some arms sales to Israel, foreign secretary announces

[9] Partly UK-made jet used in Israeli attack that killed Gaza civilians

[10] 40 countries ‘strongly condemn’ Israeli attacks on UN peacekeepers

[11] Rights expert finds ‘reasonable grounds’ genocide is being committed in Gaza 

[12] Spanish PM Sánchez urges countries to stop selling arms to Israel

[13] France's president urges an end to arming of Israel amid more protests in Europe 

[14] Joint letter to the UK government calling for an immediate halt to arms exports to Israel 

[15] Why the UK must stop selling weapons to Israel

[16] Gaza: About 70% of people killed in the war are women and children, UN says

[17] Emissions from Israel’s war in Gaza have ‘immense’ effect on climate catastrophe

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