UK rights groups call on government to condemn Israeli attacks on Syria
Israeli Paratroopers Brigade near the Syrian border on 13 December 2024
Dania Akkad reports in Middle East Eye on 17 December 2024:
UK rights groups have called on the British government to condemn Israel’s attacks on Syria and demand the withdrawal of Israeli troops, ending their “unlawful presence” in the country.
In a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy sent on Tuesday, the groups – including War On Want, the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and the Global Legal Action Network (Glan) – also expressed concerns that Israel may be using UK-made parts and technology in its strikes.
“There is a chasm between the current government’s stated intention to be the government of international law and its actual conduct and statements,” the groups wrote. “In this context, all UK arms transfers that risk being used in violations of international law in Syria by any party should be reviewed to ensure compliance with UK domestic and international law.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) declined on Tuesday to confirm whether recent Israeli attacks on Syria had been factored into assessments of Israel’s commitment to complying with international humanitarian law.
Israeli warplanes have bombed Syria every day since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad on 8 December.
At least 473 strikes, primarily targeting military sites, have destroyed naval vessels, fighter jets, air defence systems and ammunition depots, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).