Watan-A leaked recording published by The Observer newspaper reveals that the British government received legal advice regarding its stance on the Israeli war in Gaza.

According to the newspaper, the government’s lawyer advised that Israel violated international humanitarian law in Gaza, but the government chose not to declare it, as reported by The Guardian.

The advice implies halting weapon sales

In the leaked recording, Alicia Kearns, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Commons, stated during a Conservative Party fundraising event that the legal advice received by the government from its lawyer would mean that the UK must halt all weapon sales to Israel without delay.

The newspaper clarified that “Kearns’ comments, made at a Conservative Party fundraiser on March 13, contradict repeated ministerial denials and evasion on the issue.”

Intense Pressure

According to The Observer, this disclosure will put Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron under intense pressure, as any legal advice of this nature would mean that Britain must immediately halt all arms sales to Israel.

Legal experts say that failing to do so would risk putting Britain in violation of the same international law, as it would be seen as aiding and abetting war crimes by a state from which it exports weapons.

Kearns stated that she and Cameron firmly believe in Israel’s right to self-defense. However, the right to self-defense has limits in the law.

She added, “It’s not limitless,” noting that Israel’s actions pose a long-term security risk both to itself and to the UK.

She continued, “Some of Israel’s tactics in prosecuting this make their long-term security less certain. It makes our long-term security less certain. I’m amazed that our national threat level hasn’t gone up. And that breaks my heart because I know it could have been done differently.”

Not a Surprising Advice

Meanwhile, British lawyer and former judge Sir Geoffrey Nice, who was the chief prosecutor in the trial of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic from 2002 to 2006, said he would not be surprised at all if the government lawyers provided such advice.

He told the newspaper, “A party to a conflict becomes unlawful if it cannot show that its actions were proportionate. And it would not be surprising for there to be advice to that effect from Foreign Office lawyers.”

If so, “That would mean at least that Britain would have to look at the issue of arms sales to Israel as a whole.”

He added, “Countries supplying Israel with arms may now be complicit in criminal war. The public should be told what the advice says.”

It is worth noting that Britain’s arms exports to the Israeli occupation amounted to £42 million in 2022, a figure described as “relatively small” by Defense Minister Grant Shapps.