UK Middle East minister appears to accept 'risk of genocide' in Gaza

Britain's Middle East minister has apparently accepted that there is a "risk" of genocide in Gaza, but has been accused of mislesading Labour Party members over the contents of a major UN report.

On Sunday, minister Hamish Falconer spoke during the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool in favour of a motion broadly supportive of government policy on Gaza, which Labour delegates will vote on on Monday evening.

The motion, seen by Middle East Eye, notes that on 16 September, the "United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry found a risk of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza".

In fact, the UN report went further, and concluded that Israel has committed genocide and is still committing genocide in Gaza.

Despite this inaccuracy, Falconer's support for the motion citing the UN report indicates an acceptance that Israel has committed human rights abuses in Gaza that justify the designation of "genocide".

The wording of that acceptance has nevertheless angered Labour colleagues.

Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said on Monday morning: "I am absolutely horrified that Hamish Falconer and the Labour leadership is seeking to deliberately mislead Labour members and affiliated trade unions."

"The UN Commission of Inquiry report was unequivocal: it said Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza," McDonnell added.

"Labour delegates made this point directly to the Minister in the meeting last night, so it is outrageous that he and the party went ahead with a motion that distorts this momentous finding."

MEE has contacted Falconer for comment.

In a letter dated 1 September, Foreign Secretary David Lammy - who left the role earlier this month and was replaced by Yvette Cooper - said that "the crime of genocide occurs only where there is specific 'intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.'

"The government has not concluded that Israel is acting with that intent."

'Apply sanctions'

An alternative motion, which Falconer spoke against on Sunday, says Israel has committed genocide and demands the government place sanctions on the country.

At a debate on Monday morning, no delegates were picked to speak in favour of the alternative motion - although it has been backed by 18 Labour constituency groups, more than the 14 which backed the first motion, and major trade unions.

A copy of the alternative motion, seen by MEE, says: "Conference accepts the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry and calls on the Labour government to... employ all means reasonably available to it to prevent the commission of genocide in Gaza."

The motion further demands that the government "apply sanctions to put pressure on the Israeli government to respect international law" and "ensure individuals and corporations in the UK are not involved in aiding and assisting the genocide".

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Delegates will vote on both motions on Monday evening.

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, accused the government of "presenting before its own conference a distortion of the findings of a UN Inquiry which unequivocally declared Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza." 

Dr Sara Husseini, director of the British Palestinian Committee, told MEE: "While the Labour leadership knows full well that the UN Commission of Inquiry has stated Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people - not simply that there is 'a risk' of genocide being committed - the motion backed by the government today makes clear it has learned of such 'a risk'.

"As a consequence the UK is under a duty to employ all means reasonably available to prevent genocide."

Last September, the government suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licences to Israel after a review found a clear risk that British-made weapons could be used in violation of international humanitarian law.

Licences for parts for F-35 fighter jets, which are directly used in Gaza, were among those exempted from the embargo.

Recent polling found that 72 percent of Labour's 2024 voters back a full arms embargo on Israel.

Recent months have also seen a series of diplomatic spats between the UK and Israel, two historical allies.

The British government banned Israeli officials from Britain's largest arms trade show earlier this month.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the UK's move to recognise a Palestinian state last week as "rewarding Hamas".

However, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Britain last week and met Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street.

The Israeli president said afterwards that he both "argued" and had points of agreement with Starmer, whom he called Israel's "ally".