LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday distanced himself from a claim made by his own top diplomat that Israel is breaking international law with its aid blockade of Gaza.
Fewer than 24 hours after Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the House of Commons that Israel’s actions were “a breach of international law,” the prime minister’s spokesperson said Israel’s behavior was only a “clear risk” — but stressed that any illegality is for global courts to determine.
Questioned by Labour MP Rupa Huq about Israel taking “provocative action during Ramadan” by halting humanitarian aid to Gaza including food, fuel and medicine, Lammy said Monday: “This is a breach of international law. Israel quite rightly must defend its own security.
“But we find the lack of aid — it’s now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza — unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.”
The foreign secretary urged Israel to increase the number of trucks it was sending so Palestinians could receive the humanitarian support they need.
But, in a clear shift from that position Tuesday, the prime minister’s spokesperson said: “The foreign secretary’s position remains that Israel’s actions in Gaza are a clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law.”
“Government is not an international court and therefore it will be up to courts to make those judgments,” they added. “We continue to call on the government of Israel to aide by its international obligations.”
The comments came as U.K. Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden rebuffed calls by some MPs for the government to impose an arms embargo on Israel for halting the inflow of aid to Gaza — and instead said Britain would use “whatever diplomatic influence we have” to press for change.
He told Times Radio: “We don’t impose an arms embargo. We have arms trade with Israel, and you know, that’s not going to result in an embargo.”
“We’ve said very publicly what we think of that kind of idea of collective punishment. We don’t want to see that happening.”
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