Israel in the Crosshairs of British Justice: The 800 Memo Corners Tel Aviv

27th May 2025

3 minutes read

Israel in the Crosshairs of British Justice: The 800 Memo Corners Tel Aviv

Amid escalating diplomatic tensions between London and Tel Aviv—now reaching unprecedented levels—British courts have emerged as a new front in the campaign to hold Israel accountable.

According to The Guardian, more than 800 top UK legal figures, including former Supreme Court judges, have moved beyond suggestions or legal commentary. They have issued a blistering legal warning: unless the UK government takes action to stop the crimes in Gaza, it will become a silent accomplice in Israel’s evasion of justice.

What the letter says

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, over 800 lawyers, legal scholars, and senior retired judges—including former Supreme Court justices—called for sanctions on the Israeli government and its ministers, and even suggested suspending Israel’s membership at the United Nations to uphold the UK’s international legal obligations.

Signatories include former Supreme Court judges Lord Sumption and Lord Wilson, along with over 70 senior judges. They assert that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and serious violations of international humanitarian law are being committed in Palestine.

They highlight growing evidence of genocide—or at least a serious risk thereof—citing recent statements by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said the Israeli army would “wipe out” what remains of Gaza.

A call for urgent action

The legal experts remind Prime Minister Keir Starmer that all states, including the UK, are legally bound to take all reasonable measures to prevent and punish genocide, ensure adherence to international humanitarian law, and end violations of the right to self-determination.

They argue that the UK’s response has so far failed to meet these obligations, contributing to a global climate of lawlessness and impunity, which endangers the entire international legal order.

Trade and diplomatic sanctions

Although Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspended negotiations on a new free trade agreement with Israel last week, the letter—backed by a 35-page legal memorandum—insists this is not enough. It urges the UK to:

Review existing trade relations with Israel;
Suspend the 2030 roadmap for UK-Israel strategic partnership;
And impose immediate trade sanctions.

The experts also call for immediate sanctions on Israeli ministers and senior military officials, accusing them of inciting genocide or supporting illegal settlements. Until now, UK sanctions have only targeted individual settlers, outposts, and settler organizations.

Compliance with ICC warrants

The letter further urges the UK to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Other signatories include former Court of Appeal judges Sir Stephen Sedley, Sir Anthony Hooper, and Sir Alan Moses, along with past chairs of the Bar of England and Wales and of Northern Ireland.

Rising pressure

The signatories point to Israel’s ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—described as the “backbone” of Palestinian humanitarian aid—and repeated attacks on UN facilities, staff, and assets.

Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, one of the signatories and senior fellow at Oxford’s All Souls College, stated: “Now is the time for the UK to show its commitment to the rule of law and to a future where Palestinians can freely exercise their right to self-determination.”

Since October 7, 2023, over 53,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. A recent Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter left 36 people dead, according to health officials. On Monday, even Germany, one of Israel’s strongest allies, condemned the civilian death toll, stating it could no longer be justified as part of anti-Hamas operations.

The letter calls for an immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire, the resumption of aid, and the lifting of Israel’s blockade on UNRWA.

Finally, it urges the UK to commit to executing ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders—turning up the heat on Starmer in the same week that Attorney General Lord David Wolfson KC is set to deliver a keynote speech on the state of the rules-based international order.