“They’re trying to claim they cannot single out Israel to not supply those parts to. I think they’re wrong.”
British MP and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has called on London to stop supplying spare parts for F-35 jets to Israel.
“So I’ve asked the government to stop supplying the parts for F-35 Jets. They’re trying to claim they cannot single out Israel to not supply those parts to. I think they’re wrong,” Corbyn said in a video on Monday.
“I’ve raised this in Parliament, I’ve written subsequently to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and I’ll carry on making that demand,” he continued.
Stop arming genocide. pic.twitter.com/5abbM4pKR4
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) January 13, 2025
“We cannot be complicit in the supply of arms to Israel or the use of the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus as a staging point for weapons delivery and then claim these dreadful things going on in Gaza are nothing to do with us. They’re everything to do with us,” he emphasized.
Arms Suspension
Britain has suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel. It, however, exempted the indirect export of spare parts for the F-35 fighters, citing the impact it could have on these aircraft’s global program.
A high-ranking British official resigned last August from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) over Britain’s potential complicity in war crimes in Gaza and continued arms sales to Israel.
‘Not a Blanket Ban’ – UK Suspends 30 Arms Export Licences to Israel
Mark Smith, head of the Africa Programs and Expertise Department FCDO submitted a resignation letter titled “FCDO complicity in War Crimes” in which he expressed his regret to resign following years of service, stating he was left with no choice.
Resignation
Smith said in his resignation letter, widely distributed via email to hundreds of government officials, embassy staff and special advisors to Foreign Office Ministers, that he “can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in War Crimes.”
‘Complicit in War Crimes’ – British Official Resigns over UK’s Arms Sales to Israel
The British official, who worked in counter-terrorism, wrote in his letter that the world stands witness to clear and unquestionable war crimes in Gaza committed by Israel on a daily basis in breach of International Humanitarian Law.
“Over half of Gaza’s homes and over 80 percent of commercial properties have been damaged or destroyed. Whole streets and universities have been demolished, humanitarian aid is being blocked and civilians are regularly left with no safe quarter to flee to. Red Crescent ambulances have been attacked, schools and hospitals are regularly targeted. These are War Crimes,” his letter said.
Ongoing Genocide
The ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, Israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 46,584 Palestinians have been killed, and 109,731 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Horrors Unveiled: Palestinian Detainees Describe Torture in Israeli Prisons
The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.
The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.
Millions Displaced
Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.
Resistance Kills Israeli Soldiers in Gaza as Massacres Continue
The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.
(PC, MEMO)
