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A letter from over 300 Foreign Office staff expressing concerns about potential UK involvement in Israel’s actions in Gaza has sparked controversy. The staff, who criticized the UK’s arms sales and Israel’s disregard for international law, received a response from senior civil servants advising them to consider resigning if they profoundly disagree with government policy. This suggestion outraged many officials who feel that the space for challenging decisions is shrinking.
The staff’s letter, dated 16 May, was the fourth of its kind since late 2023 and highlighted issues such as civilian casualties in Gaza, aid supply restrictions, and Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. Officials were disappointed that their warnings had not been heeded, and there were concerns about potential legal liabilities for those involved in implementing decisions that could face legal ramifications. The letter also cited incidents where humanitarian workers were killed by Israeli forces and Israel’s suspension of aid to Gaza, leading to accusations of using starvation as a weapon of war.
In response, Sir Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer emphasized the importance of healthy challenge in policy-making, mentioning the establishment of a Challenge Board and listening sessions for employees to voice their concerns. While officials are entitled to personal views, the letter reminded them of available mechanisms for uncomfortable policy situations. The exchange has been criticized as obfuscation, with some pointing out the need to learn from past mistakes, such as the 2016 Chilcot Report recommendations following the Iraq war inquiry.
The UK government maintains that Israel is at risk of breaching humanitarian law, a stance contested by Palestinian rights groups pursuing legal action internationally. Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously suspended around 30 arms export licenses to Israel out of 350 total, citing a clear risk of violating international humanitarian law. The International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders further escalated tensions, with Israel rejecting accusations of war crimes and the US imposing sanctions on ICC judges. The Foreign Office reiterated the adherence to international law in relation to the Gaza conflict and emphasized the suspension of exports that could be utilized by the Israeli military
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