Corbyn has called for a full, public inquiry into the UK’s role in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, warning that Britain’s military and political support risks implicating officials in grave breaches of international law.
Independent British MP Jeremy Corbyn condemned Israeli war crimes on Wednesday, calling on the British government to end all military and political support for Israel.
“Another day, another war crime,” Corbyn said in a video posted on his X account, which has over 2.5 million followers.
The former Labour leader questioned how long the UK would continue supplying arms to Israel, allowing the use of RAF Akrotiri air bases in Cyprus to facilitate arms deliveries, and maintaining security cooperation with Israel.
“What would it take for the British government to cease all arm supplies to Israel, to end the use of the RAF air bases in Akrotiri as a staging point for delivery to Israel, and when will we end the security cooperation with Israel to make it absolutely clear that we are not prepared to support a regime which is breaking international humanitarian law in so many respects?,” Corbyn asked.
Another day, another war crime.
What will it take for the UK to end its military, economic and political support for Israel? pic.twitter.com/eXD0Ldsltv
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 5, 2025
This follows Corbyn’s letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday, demanding a “full, public, independent inquiry” into the UK’s involvement in Israel’s war on Gaza — drawing comparisons to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war.
In his letter, Corbyn argued that Britain has played a significant role in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, pointing to the sale of F-35 fighter jet components and the government’s refusal to describe Israel’s actions as genocide.
He said he had repeatedly pressed officials about arms exports and the legal definition of genocide but was met with “evasion, obstruction and silence.”
“Transparency and accountability are cornerstones of democracy,” Corbyn wrote, pledging to pursue all avenues to establish an inquiry.
According to the House of Commons Library, UK arms exports to Israel in 2023 were valued at £18 million — making up less than 1% of Israel’s total arms imports, which primarily come from the US and Germany.
I am calling for a full, public, independent inquiry into the UK’s involvement in Gaza.
We deserve to know the full scale of our government’s complicity in genocide. pic.twitter.com/2Ry28OPPF1
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) March 4, 2025
In September 2024, Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspended a restricted number of arms export licenses to Israel citing a “clear risk” that they could be used to violate international humanitarian law.
In his statement to the House of Commons on September 2, however, Lammy highlighted that this “is not a blanket ban.”
“This is not an arms embargo. It targets around 30 of approximately 350 licences to Israel in total,” he said, adding that “he rest will continue.”
Corbyn is now asking for a full inquiry to determine “exactly what decisions have been taken, how they have been made, and what consequences they have had” — including decisions by ministers dating back to October 2023.
He warned that the UK’s actions risk implicating officials in grave breaches of international law, saying these questions will not disappear without a comprehensive investigation.
The Chilcot inquiry, launched in 2009 to examine Britain’s role in the Iraq war, concluded that the government’s decision to invade was based on “flawed intelligence” and failed to challenge key assessments.
“History is repeating itself,” Corbyn said, pointing to Gaza’s death toll exceeding 61,000.
“I am writing to demand an independent inquiry into the UK’s involvement in the war on Gaza,” he concluded.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
