Dua Lipa, Massive Attack & More Urge British Government to ‘End U.K. Complicity' in Gaza
Dua Lipa, Primal Scream, Massive Attack and Annie Lennox are among the signatories on a new open letter urging British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to 'end U.K. complicity' in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The letter, organized by refugee charity Choose Love, accused the British government of continuing to allow U.K. arms to be sold to Israel and for providing licenses for arms manufacturers. In September 2024, the government suspended 30 licenses from companies involved in sending items to Israel.
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Last week, Sir Keir and his French and Canadian counterparts warned Israel that they will take 'concrete actions' if it continues an 'egregious' expansion of military operations in Gaza.
'You can't call it 'intolerable', yet do nothing,' the letter states. 'The world is watching and history will not forget. The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?'
The letter comes as the United Nations warns that Gaza's 2.1 million population is facing catastrophic levels of hunger, and the U.N. reports that 47 people were injured on Tuesday (May 27) while aid was distributed to crowds; Israel claims its troops only fired 'warning shots' in the air.
'Those who survive starvation wake up to bombs falling on them,' the letter adds. 'Violence stamped with U.K. inaction — flown with parts shipped from British factories to Israel, could be obliterating families in seconds. Each arms shipment makes our country directly complicit in their deaths.'
The war in Gaza began when Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking more than 250 people hostage; 58 are still in captivity. According to the Associated Press, retaliatory attacks by Israel have killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, with Gaza's Health Ministry reporting that most of those killed were women and children.
More than 300 personalities from the world of British music, television and film — including director Danny Boyle, Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Riz Ahmed, Tilda Swinton and Gary Lineker — have also added their names to the letter.
On Wednesday (May 28) Kneecap was removed from the lineup at Glasgow's TRNSMT festival in July due to safety concerns from the local police force; the band has said the removal was linked to its pro-Palestine advocacy. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh of the West Belfast rap trio was recently charged with a terror offense in relation to an incident at a show in November 2024. He is due in Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 18.
Read the open letter signed by Dua Lipa, Massive Attack and more below:
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