UK’s Gaza genocide position questioned in House of Lords
As we’ve been reporting, members of the UK’s House of Lords have been discussing the situation in Gaza, including the findings of the UN commission that determined this week that Israel is committing genocide.
Baroness Arminka Helic has asked Jenny Chapman, the UK’s international development minister, to clarify an apparent contradiction in the government’s position on whether it can determine if genocide is taking place. Chapman reiterated that the government leaves it to competent courts to determine genocide, saying it would be a “very dangerous move” for governments to begin making such determinations.
But Helic, a Conservative peer, pointed out that David Lammy, the former foreign secretary, wrote in early September that the government had not concluded Israel was committing genocide.
Helic said she agrees politicians shouldn’t determine whether genocide is occurring but added she was “slightly confused because only last week or two weeks ago, the foreign secretary [Lammy] wrote a letter to the international development committee saying Israel wasn’t acting with intent to commit genocide”.
She added: “Surely if the foreign secretary can assert that there is no genocide, then he is making a political determination.”
Trump says he disagrees with UK on recognising Palestinian state
US President Donald Trump says during a state visit to the UK that he disagrees with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over recognising a Palestinian state.
Asked about recognising Palestine during a joint news conference with Starmer, Trump said: “I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score, one of our few disagreements actually.”
Starmer said he and Trump agreed on the ultimate aim of peace in the region.
“We absolutely agree on the need for peace and a roadmap because the situation in Gaza is intolerable,” he said.
When Starmer was pressed about reports that he was waiting for Trump to leave the country before formally recognising a Palestinian state this weekend, Starmer said:
“I made my position clear at the end of July as to the timing, which has got nothing to do with this state visit.” “I’ve discussed it with the president, as you would expect, amongst two leaders who respect each other and like each other and want to bring about a better solution in the best way that we can,” he added.
Yeah just pretend to care until there's no one left to save. Starmer is a war criminal, genocide supporter.
