Former home secretary Suella Braverman has defended Israel’s actions in Gaza and insisted the country is doing a “huge amount” to comply with international law.
Her comments come amidst mouting international and domestic pressure on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to respond to the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine and the death of three British aidworkers last week.
The Tory MP for Fareham said she “strongly rebuts” suggestions that Israel is in breach of international law: “I have probed and I have tested, I’ve been very near to the border in Gaza and I am convinced – and I say this as a former attorney general who dealt with matters of international law and military action – that I very strongly rebut suggestions that Israel is in breach of international law, that there’s a genocide, that there’s a forced starvation.
“Quite the contrary,” she told told LBC radio . “Israel is doing a huge amount using technology, sophisticated methods, and a lot of care to minimise civilian casualties, to get aid into Gaza and to comply with international law.”
Ms Braverman also added that the death of three British aid workers at the hands of Israel last week was not a “reason” to walk away from Israel: “I don’t think the fact that these tragedies happen is a reason to walk away from Israel, and to stop selling arms to Israel, because of that broader battle that they are engaging with.”
Ms Braverman expressed her condolences to the family and friends of the aid workers, which included three Britons, killed by an Israeli drone, adding: “They were brave people putting their lives in danger in aid of humanitarianism.
“They should not have been killed, it was a mistake and the Israelis have been very quick to accept responsibility, to investigate fully, and to apologise. They were incredibly regretful of it.”
She continued: “The reality is that these tragedies happen in war, and innocent civilians sadly, very sadly, will die.”
Rishi Sunak has been forced to respond to calls – including from within his own party – to immediately suspend arms sales to Israel amid a growing chorus of opposition to the number of civilians killed in its war on Hamas.
The prime minister has faced pleas from Tory grandees, hundreds of lawyers, dozens of MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, as well as top military commanders to halt arms exports to the nation.
He has also been urged to exert Britain’s influence on Israel to force a change of approach in how Israel Defence Forces (IDF) conducts the invasion.
Thus far the government have refused to publish advice from lawyers as to whether Israel is in breach of its international obligations, as a raft of former supreme court justices have warned the government may be breaching international law by continuing to arm Israel.
Ms Braverman – who also served as attorney general – said she supported the convention that legal advice given to the government should be confidential.
She said: “I think that the government needs to be able to behave in an environment where legal advice is confidential and privileged.”
Foreign secretary Lord Cameron is expected to discuss the Israel-Gaza conflict during his ongoing trip to the US.
