UK declines to share stance on Britons fighting for Israeli army
Middle East Eye asked the Home Office and the Foreign Office what the government's stance on UK nationals enlisting in the Israeli military is.
The Home Office declined to comment and referred MEE to the Foreign Office. The Foreign Office declined to comment and referred MEE to the Home Office.
Scottish National Party MP Chris Law told MEE: "The UK government must warn against enlistment and ensure that anyone who ignores these warning and does enlist is subsequently held accountable to international law."
Army Radio reported this week that the Israeli government was looking at a possible campaign to reach out to the diaspora to fill vacancies within the ranks of the military.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The broadcaster said the military was currently struggling with a shortfall of 10,000 to 12,000 troops, driven largely by the refusal of ultra-Orthodox Jews to serve.
Attempts to recruit the conservative minority, who have traditionally enjoyed exemption in return for pursuing religious study, have so far failed to yield results.
Dozens of Palestinian children from Gaza to be brought to UK for treatment Read More »
Law said: "The fact that the IDF have been reduced to pursuing international recruitment is testament to the fact that they are finding it difficult to recruit within Israel itself.
'Why anyone would wish to travel to Israel to enlist in their illegal occupation is beyond me."
Independent MP Ayoub Khan called for dual nationals to be stripped of their British citizenship if they enlist in the Israeli military.
"If UK dual nationals choose to enlist in the IDF during a conflict that international bodies and courts have described in terms of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, plausible genocide," he told MEE, "then they must be held to the same standard as others who have joined foreign forces accused of such crimes.
"By participating in actions that raise such grave concerns, they demonstrate a disregard for fundamental human rights and values, and therefore pose a potential threat to the safety and principles of our society."
Khan added: "It would only be fair and consistent to strip such individuals of their British citizenship and right of return, just as has been done with others who travelled abroad to participate in violence or join organisations engaged in crimes against humanity.
"Parity must exist and justice cannot be applied selectively."
'It would only be fair and consistent to strip such individuals of their British citizenship'
- Ayoub Khan MP
Existing Israeli army recruits have increasingly been dropping out of service since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, citing physical and psychological trauma.
In July, Israeli daily Maariv reported that senior commanders said there was a gap of about 7,500 soldiers.
Independent MP Adnan Hussain told MEE: "The UK cannot allow its citizens to contribute, directly or indirectly, to the commission of atrocities.
"If a British citizen is actively serving in the IDF while it carries out acts amounting to genocide or war crimes, that individual risks being complicit in some of the gravest crimes under international law," Hussain warned.
"There is no impunity for those who operate under a foreign flag."
'Prosecutions must follow'
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported on Sunday that the army estimates it will need about four months to complete its planned operation to occupy Gaza City.
Hussain urged the British government to "take concrete steps to investigate whether British citizens currently serving in the IDF have participated in unlawful operations.
MPs urge UK to disclose if it holds spy plane footage of Al Jazeera journalists' killings Read More »
"If credible evidence emerges, prosecutions must follow," he said. "The law demands it and victims of genocide deserve it."
In January this year, the Israeli military advised dozens of soldiers against travelling abroad after reportedly tracking around 30 war crimes complaints and legal actions targeting its personnel for their roles in operations in Gaza.
In April, a team of prominent legal experts submitted a war crimes complaint against 10 British nationals accused of committing war crimes while serving in the Israeli military to the Metropolitan Police.
But it is understood that the Met is not conducting any investigations directly related to Israel and Gaza.
And in June, Ministry of Defence officials said the UK was "currently" involved in training members of the Israeli army on British soil.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
23 minutes ago
- The National
UK targets family fortune of Iranian leader's ally with sanctions
Hossein Shamkhani, the son of a close aide to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was hit with UK sanctions on Thursday. The British government sanctioned Mr Shamkhani, along with holding companies Admiral Shipping Group and Milavous Group, plus hedge fund Ocean Leonid Investments. He is the son of Ali Shamkhani, a former senior security official who was injured in the Israeli bombing campaign on Iran in June. '[Hossein] Shamkhani has facilitated and provided support to hostile activity by the government of Iran, namely activity which is intended to cause the destabilisation of the United Kingdom or any other country including Israel and Ukraine,' an official statement on Thursday said. The move follows recent enforcement actions by the US and the European Union to target the same network, which the Trump administration called the biggest sanctions escalation against Tehran in nearly a decade. The Shamkhani network is believed to have emerged as a major player in the export of Russian and Iranian oil, and established a hedge fund to help manage the proceeds. The UK Financial Conduct Authority had licensed Ocean Leonid activities in the country until November. Imposing its own sanctions this year, the US Treasury said: "The Shamkhani family further exploits their ill-gotten wealth to obtain access to benefits unavailable to everyday Iranians, including owning exclusive properties around the world and obtaining foreign passports in exchange for substantial financial investments."
The National
23 minutes ago
- The National
How Palestine Action prepares activists for protests against Gaza war
It was only when they were gathered at a safe house that the two Palestine Action activists learnt for the first time what they had been asked to do the following morning. Mary Ensell, 45, and Harry Wade, 26, chained themselves to a van that had been crashed into the entrance of a Teledyne factory at 5am, in protest against the company supplying products being used in the war in Gaza. Details of their protest have been revealed in court documents, which show the planning that goes into Palestine Action's sabotage attacks and the extent to which "foot soldiers" are kept in the dark about what they are to do until the last minute. The evidence also shows how the group tried to intimidate Teledyne's lawyers. Ensell and Wade both contacted the group after becoming concerned about the devastation in Gaza. They volunteered to take part in direct action against companies in the UK that were supplying products for the Israeli military. Since their protest early this year, Palestine Action has been designated as a terrorist organisation after activists broke into a military base and damaged British aircraft they claimed were used to assist Israel's war effort. In response to continued protests by Palestine Action, Teledyne obtained a High Court injunction in January that forbids protesters from entering six of the company's sites in Britain. But Ensell and Wade took part in a demonstration at the Shipley site on January 28, four days after the injunction was granted. They have now admitted breaching the injunction, although a judge has spared them from a jail sentence for contempt of court. In her ruling, judge Mary Stacey outlined how the pair volunteered to become activists for the group after seeing news and social media reports about the Gaza war. After making contact with the group, they were given an 'onboarding session' and offered to take part in 'medium-level action' for which they would not be sent to prison. "A few months later and after several further conversations with representatives from Palestine Action, they were each told, separately, that they had been approved to be involved in a medium-level action, coming up shortly," the judge said. The pair "were not told any details or what or where it might be" and "they had not been involved in any of the planning and organisation", she added. The judge described the pair as 'foot soldiers' who met for the first time at a 'safe house' the night before the protest, to undergo a briefing at which they were told where the action would take place. They were both told to leave their mobile phones at home. 'The action had been planned, designed and organised by others beforehand and neither of them were privy to any information other than about the limited role each had agreed to perform the next day,' the judge said. On the day of their action, the pair travelled in a car behind the van driven by fellow activists. The van then drove at speed towards two bollards, causing about £3,500 ($4,710) of damage. Ensell and Wade then got out of the car and locked themselves to the van and sat in the rain in a bid to prevent workers from entering the site. A couple of hours later, a security guard emerged and told them about the injunction, which they ignored. About 40 police officers and ambulance staff arrived at the scene over the course of the day in an effort to cut them free from the van, but the vehicle had been reinforced with concrete from the inside, making such efforts impossible. The activists released themselves at 12.30pm. In a submission to the court, Teledyne said the offices of the law firm that worked on the injunction has been the target of supporters of Palestine Action. Four activists smashed a window at Keystone Law's office early on March 10 and sprayed red paint inside. The words "Drop Teledyne" were written on the pavement outside. Palestine Action posters bearing a picture of the lawyer handling the case were stuck to the wall of a coffee shop. The posters accused him of being complicit in war crimes and genocide. Justice Stacey said she believed Ensell and Ward were not aware of the existence of an injunction. But continuing their protest after being told of the order justified a jail term of 28 days, she added. The judge reduced this to 21 days and suspended the sentence for a year, meaning they will go to prison if they undertake any further protest action during that time. Teledyne said in the court submission that it makes products for a 'wide range of industrial markets, including defence and aerospace', some of which have 'military end-uses'. Of those, 'some products are exported under licence to Israel'. The company has been approached for comment. Supporters of Palestine Action recently staged a protest in central London to openly defy the law and run the risk of arrest. About half of the 522 detained were over the age of 60, police said. Palestine Action has been allowed to legally challenge the decision to designate it as a terrorist group and a decision on the issue is due in November.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Palestinians from Gaza 'enduring hell' in Israeli custody, prisoner monitors say
Palestinians seized from Gaza and placed in Israeli detention are enduring "the worst levels of torture and abuse" compared with other detainees, two prisoner rights monitors have said. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) and the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees' Affairs have published a report collecting testimonies of lawyers of prisoners that showcase ongoing "severe crimes". Titled "Enduring Hell: Gaza Detainees Face Severe Israeli Torture and Terror Behind Bars", the report is based on accounts from Ramla prison and the Sde Teiman military camp. The testimonies from Ramla come specifically from the underground Rakevet section, where detainees are reportedly held in total isolation and subjected to psychological torture. According to the monitors, several detainees appeared at meetings with their lawyers "weeping and terrorised". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In one case, a prisoner appeared severely beaten and unable to express what happened to him, communicating only with his eyes. "His case is not isolated; all detainees showed severe psychological distress, with fear dominating the entire lawyers' visit," the rights groups said. The Commission of Detainees and PPS note that all prisoners were subjected to beatings and threats before seeing their lawyers, with prison guards often forcing them to lie and say they were being kept in "excellent" conditions. Meanwhile, lawyers are not allowed to share any information with the detainees regarding their relatives. Finger-breaking, isolation and stress positions The latest testimonies reveal Palestinians from Gaza are enduring torture methods including finger-breaking, isolation, humiliation and being placed in stress positions for long periods. "The interrogation period stands out as one of the clearest reflections of the level of torture and grave violations inflicted by interrogators against detainees abducted from occupied Gaza," the report said. 'I was beaten daily for 30 days straight. I currently suffer from torn chest muscles' – Prisoner 'AY' According to the monitors, the detainees are only allowed in the yard for 20 minutes every other day, and denied sunlight for the rest of the time. One prisoner, identified as AY, said he was held in a cell for a month "without knowing day from night". "They would strap me to a chair and then throw me to the ground while my hands and feet were bound. I was beaten daily for 30 days straight. I currently suffer from torn chest muscles and severe pain due to prolonged shackling of my arms behind my back," he is quoted as saying. Another detainee, identified as YD, described violent interrogation methods, where he was placed in a "disco" room - where detainees are psychologically abused through blaring music - and forced into stress positions. "The beating was so violent that my handcuffs came off twice... Now I suffer from rib fractures and I can't sleep. The torture also caused a tear in my left ear, vision impairment, and kidney pain," he said. Some of the positional torture (stress positions) used against Palestinian detainees at Israeli interrogation centers#StopTortrue#TortureIsAWarCrime — Addameer – الضمير (@Addameer) December 23, 2019 Detainee AB recalled similar abuse, noting that during his interrogation he was placed in the "banana" stress position and beaten. "The interrogators would grab my testicles and beat me on them, trying to pressure me into confessing," AB added. Several former detainees have told the United Nations and the media that they were routinely beaten on their genitals or other sensitive parts of their body. After AB's transfer to Ramla prison, guards broke his fingers. 'Famine' in Israeli detention The monitors said all the testimonies confirmed that prisoners endured starvation, with one describing it as a "famine". Food portions are extremely small and often inedible, with the amount of food given to several prisoners sharing a cell less than a meal for one person. "Most are experiencing severe weight loss, emaciation, and extreme exhaustion, along with worsening illnesses and health conditions," the report said. Additionally, diseases and infections continue to torment prisoners, with scabies becoming one of the most pressing health issues among detainees. The two monitors stressed that the prison system's deprivation of basic hygiene and medical care is exacerbating the spread of diseases.
