UK lawmakers demand full arms embargo and settlement trade ban on Israel

A group of 80 UK Members of Parliament and peers has urged the new British Prime Minister to impose sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo and a ban on trade supporting Israeli settlements. Led by MP Kim Johnson, the letter calls for a "decisive change" in the government's stance to uphold Palestinian rights and prevent Israel's "continued violation of international law." The lawmakers cited a UN Independent Commission of Inquiry report from last month, which "confirmed Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza," and referenced the Genocide Convention, requiring signatories like the UK to act. They also highlighted the previous administration's failure to respond to a July 2024 International Court of Justice judgment. Johnson further stated that Palestine has become the "defining test" for the Labour Party regarding international law, urging the new Prime Minister to "make a clean break with the failures of Starmerism on Palestine."