PA MediaGreater than 300 International Workplace workers who raised issues about potential UK “complicity” in Israel’s conduct in Gaza have been informed in the event that they profoundly disagreed with authorities coverage they may think about resigning.
The workers letter, seen by the BBC, was despatched to International Secretary David Lammy final month.
In it, officers questioned the UK’s continued arms gross sales and what they known as a “stark… disregard for international law” by Israel.
The International Workplace mentioned it had programs for workers to lift issues and added the federal government had “rigorously applied international law” in relation to the conflict in Gaza.
The reply to the workers letter was despatched from Sir Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer, the 2 most senior civil servants within the International Workplace.
They informed the signatories: “[I]f your disagreement with any aspect of government policy or action is profound your ultimate recourse is to resign from the Civil Service. This is an honourable course.”
The response was met with “outrage” in keeping with one official who signed the letter.
“[There is] frustration and a deep sense of disappointment that the space for challenge is being further shut down,” mentioned the official, talking on situation of anonymity.
The officers’ letter signed on 16 Might was a minimum of the fourth such doc despatched by involved civil servants to ministers and International Workplace managers since late 2023.
The BBC understands the signatories signify a variety of experience throughout International Workplace departments, embassies and missions together with in London and abroad.
The letters have mirrored the dimensions of the civilian demise toll in Gaza, Israel’s restrictions on assist provide and Israeli settlement enlargement and settler violence within the occupied West Financial institution, amongst different points.
Employees are additionally mentioned to really feel disquiet that a lot of their warnings haven’t been acted on, and people whose jobs it’s to implement choices may very well be liable in any future authorized proceedings in opposition to the UK authorities.
The 16 Might letter mentioned: “In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law and potential UK government complicity. In the intervening period, the reality of Israel’s disregard for international law has become more stark.”
It went on to checklist the killing by Israeli forces of 15 humanitarian employees in March and Israel’s suspension of all assist to Gaza in the identical month “leading many experts and humanitarian organisations to accuse Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war”.
It mentioned the UK authorities’s place had contributed to “the erosion of global norms”, citing continued weapons exports and the go to to London in April by Israel’s overseas minister Gideon Sa’ar “despite concerns about violations of international law”.
It added that, “supported by the Trump administration, the Israeli government has made explicit plans for the forcible transfer of Gaza’s population”.
Of their response on 29 Might, Sir Oliver and Mr Dyer informed the workers the division wished to see “healthy challenge” as a part of the policy-making course of and had already arrange a “bespoke Challenge Board” and common listening periods with workers to listen to issues on this coverage space.
They wrote that officers have been entitled to their private views, however added it “might be helpful” to “remind” them of mechanisms out there to these uncomfortable with coverage.
It went on to checklist a collection of how workers might elevate points, earlier than including that resignation was an “ultimate recourse” and “honourable course” for these with profound disagreements over authorities coverage.
“[T]he bargain at the heart of the British Civil Service is that we sign up to deliver the policies of the Government of the day wholeheartedly, within the limits imposed by the law and the Civil Service Code,” it mentioned.
A former official who noticed the correspondence described the response as “obfuscation”.
“This… simply provides the government with supposed ‘plausible deniability’ for enabling breaches of international law,” mentioned the previous official who additionally spoke on situation of anonymity.
They mentioned that the FCDO and broader civil service appeared unable to study the teachings of the previous, referring to the 2016 Chilcot Report suggestions following the inquiry into the Iraq conflict.
Chilcot criticised the emergence of an “ingrained belief” inside senior ranges of the UK coverage neighborhood over the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. His suggestions led to civil service reforms designed to problem “groupthink” and empowering officers to talk out about coverage issues.
The UK authorities’s place is that Israel is “at risk” of breaching humanitarian legislation. Israel has beforehand mentioned it operates in keeping with worldwide legislation. Palestinian rights teams have rejected this, taking proof to a number of authorized circumstances introduced internationally.
In September, International Secretary David Lammy introduced the suspension of round 30 arms export licenses to Israel, out of a complete of about 350, citing a “clear risk” they may be used to commit or facilitate a severe violation of worldwide humanitarian legislation.
It got here weeks earlier than the Worldwide Felony Courtroom (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant in addition to the navy commander of Hamas.
Israel’s authorities has persistently rejected allegations it has dedicated conflict crimes in Gaza, calling the ICC’s determination “antisemitic”, whereas the US Division of State final week introduced sanctions in opposition to 4 ICC judges for “transgressions against the United States and Israel”.
In a press release, the FCDO mentioned the job of civil servants was to ship on authorities insurance policies and supply skilled, neutral recommendation as set out within the Civil Service Code.
“There are systems in place which allow them to raise concerns if they have them,” mentioned the spokesperson. They added: “Since day one, this government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza. One of our first acts in government was to suspend export licences that could be used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza…
“We’ve got suspended direct exports of F-35 elements to be used by Israel, and we categorically don’t export any bombs or ammunition which may very well be utilized in Gaza,” added the spokesperson.
On 19 May the UK issued a joint statement with France and Canada threatening “concrete actions” in opposition to Israel if it didn’t cease its renewed navy offensive and raise assist restrictions.
