UK Government Rejects Determination of Israeli ‘Genocide’ in Gaza

Latest Developments

Israel Not Committing Genocide: The United Kingdom has concluded that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, according to a letter sent by then Foreign Secretary David Lammy to the chair of the UK Parliament’s International Development Committee on September 1. “As per the Genocide Convention, the crime of genocide occurs only where there is specific ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group,’” the letter read, before declaring that “the [British] government has not concluded that Israel is acting with that intent.” Addressing the same question last year, Lammy — now the United Kingdom’s deputy prime minister — simply noted, “This government is not an international court. We have not — and could not — arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law.”
Recent UK Actions Against Israel: In September 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government suspended some 30 arms export licenses to Israel. Additionally, London sanctioned several Israelis living in the West Bank, along with outposts and organizations, in May and in June 2025 imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. The United Kingdom also suspended free trade talks with Israel in May and summoned Israel’s ambassador in August over the approval of new Israeli communities in the West Bank. Despite determining that Israel was not committing genocide in Gaza, Lammy called the “high civilian casualties” and “extensive destruction” in Gaza “utterly appalling,” while imploring Israel to “do much more to prevent and alleviate the suffering that this conflict is causing.”
ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel: In December 2023, South Africa filed for the International Court of Justice to issue provisional measures to protect Palestinians from harm, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7 atrocities. The former president of the ICJ clarified in April 2024 that the court found that Palestinians “had a plausible right to be protected from genocide … but it didn’t decide that the claim of genocide was plausible.” Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Spain, the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Chile, the Maldives, Bolivia, Ireland, Cuba, Belize, Belgium, and Egypt have filed for permission to intervene in the case or declared their intentions to support South Africa.

FDD Expert Response

“David Lammy was correct in rejecting the claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza. Israel’s advance warnings and other steps to mitigate harm to Gaza civilians, which go beyond precautions undertaken by other militaries, demonstrate that Israel’s goal is not genocide but, far from it, to minimize civilian casualties while exercising Israel’s rights to free hostages, apprehend October 7 atrocity perpetrators, and protect Israel’s population from further attacks.” — Orde Kittrie, Senior Fellow

“Hamas and its allies use words like ‘genocide,’ ‘apartheid,’ ‘starvation,’ and ‘famine’ to conduct lawfare and information warfare against Israel as a way to undermine Israel’s legitimate military campaign against terrorists. These are lies, and it is therefore good to see the British government reject the determination of ‘genocide,’ the most heinous lie of all.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor