Over 300 Arab figures demand British FM apology over Gaza genocide denial

Hundreds of prominent Arab public figures have demanded that British Foreign Secretary David Lammy apologize for "belittling" and "concealing" Israel's war on Gaza as he claimed it not to be a genocide because millions of people have not been killed.

In an open letter, more than 300 Arab public figures expressed their “profound condemnation” of Lammy’s remarks that he made in the parliament on Monday.

"Mr Lammy's statements not only belittle the severity of the situation but also disregard international law standards, which classify systematic targeting and destruction of civilians and the obstruction of humanitarian aid as clear indicators of genocide intent," read the letter, initiated by the Arab Assembly in Britain.

Asked by conservative MP Nick Timothy on Monday to clarify that "there is not a genocide occurring in the Middle East", Lammy said "These are, quite properly, legal terms that must be determined by international courts."

"I do agree with the honorable gentleman. Those terms were largely used when millions of people lost their lives in crises like Rwanda, the second world war, the Holocaust, and the way that they are used now undermines the seriousness of that term," he added.

His remarks on the use of the term genocide only when millions have been killed contradict official British policy which recognizes that genocides have been committed in Srebrenica and against the Izadi (Yazidi) people in Iraq.

Lammy's comments "contribute to concealing the magnitude of the ongoing atrocities and, intentionally or not, justify violations of international human rights standards," the letter said.

It also called on the foreign secretary to "immediately retract his statements, acknowledge the true tragedy facing the Palestinian people, and support international efforts to hold Israel accountable".

'Unprecedented criminalization' of pro-Palestine activists in UK raises alarm

Activists in the UK have expressed significant concerns regarding what they describe as an "unprecedented wave of criminalization" targeting those advocating for Palestinian rights and climate change.

"We also urge the British government and global leaders to take a decisive stance in support of international law, justice, and the protection of the Palestinian people during this critical time."

The signatories of the open letter include Sabah al-Mukhtar, president of Britain's Arab Lawyers Association, Adnan Hmidan, head of AlArab in the UK and Mohammed Kazbar, vice president of the Muslim Council of Britain.

They also include Cordoba Foundation chairman Anas Al-Tikriti and Firas Abu Hilal, editor-in-chief of the Arabi 21 news outlet.

 ‘Blatant contempt’

This comes after Chris Law, a Scottish National Party MP, slammed Lammy on Tuesday for taking a position that "outrageously diminishes and minimizes the seriousness of the crime of genocide."

Lammy's statement "reveals blatant contempt for the fundamental rights and the very lives of Palestinians," he added.

"Why is it that you only seem to have a problem with the use of such terms when it comes to what is being perpetrated against the Palestinian people and not others?"

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 43,204 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 101,641 others.

Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.

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