Britain must ‘stop backsliding’ on support for Israel, Suella Braverman claims
Three British citizens are among the dead after seven were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Gaza
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Your support makes all the difference.Britain and the USA must stop “backsliding” in their support for Israel, Suella Braverman has said, as the Israeli PM said an “unintended” air strike killed seven aid workers in Gaza.
The former home secretary made the comment after touring sites in Israel attacked by militant group Hamas on October 7 last year.
Photographs accompanying an article in the Telegraphabout the visit appear to show Ms Braverman shedding tears at the site of the Supernova music festival targeted by Hamas.
During the visit, Ms Braverman criticised the UK for helping to pass a UN Security Council resolution on the conflict in Gaza calling for a ceasefire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It did not link the demand for the release of Hamas’ Israeli hostages to the ceasefire and the US abstained on the vote.
“I am angry when I see the backsliding by countries like the US and UK. This is not a time for walking away,” Ms Braverman said.
She added: “This is a time for strengthening our support for Israel.”
But her intervention came as the UK called on Israel to "immediately investigate" the deaths of British nationals in an air strike in Gaza. Seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers were killed in Gaza on Monday night, with three British nationals among those killed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the aid workers were killed by an “unintended strike” by Israeli forces. WCK chief executive Erin Gore said the attack was "unforgivable", while foreign affairs committee chairman Alicia Kearns called for a “thorough and swift” investigation.
The attack will pile pressure on Israel, which has come under renewed pressure in recent days over whether it is complying with international law. Ms Kearns has said she is convinced ministers had concluded Israel was not demonstrating a commitment to international law.
Licences to export arms cannot be granted if there is a clear risk the weapons could be used in serious violation of international humanitarian law.
Ms Braverman described Hamas as a “death cult” and insisted it needed to be “totally degraded”, as she warned “these evil forces of terrorism” could present themselves in the UK without action.
In an apparent broadside at foreign secretary Lord Cameron, Ms Braverman also reportedly claimed to have received assurances that Israel has not breached international law in its actions in Gaza.
Lord Cameron is currently facing pressure from across the political spectrum to publish legal advice he has received on the matter.
Export licences could not continue to be granted for UK arms heading to Israel if there is a risk weapons could be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
Ms Braverman praised Lord Cameron for bringing experience to the role of Foreign Secretary, but expressed worries about a tendency within the Foreign Office to “attribute an equivalence between Israeli defensive measures and the terrorism of Hamas”.
She added: “What I am very concerned about is a Foreign Office establishment view taking hold of our foreign policy.
“And by that, I mean, an anti-Israel sentiment, a pro-Palestine approach to this conflict. And I think that that is very concerning.”
After the aid workers were killed, Lord Cameron said the Foreign Office was "working to verify" reports that British nationals were among the aid workers killed.
And Rishi Sunak added: “My thoughts are with their friends and family.
"They are doing fantastic work bringing alleviation to the suffering that many are experiencing in Gaza.
"They should be praised and commended for what they are doing.
"They need to be allowed to do that work unhindered and it is incumbent on Israel to make sure they can do that."
Mr Netanyahu said: “Unfortunately over the last day there was a tragic incident of an unintended strike of our forces on innocent people in the Gaza Strip.”
He said officials were “checking this thoroughly” and “will do everything for this not to happen again”.
The convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid taken to Gaza on the maritime route, WCK said.
The aid workers reportedly travelled in two armoured cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft-skin vehicle.
WCK immediately suspended operations in the region.
Meanwhile at home, Ms Braverman said she was “ashamed” by the rising levels of antisemitism.
As the former home secretary visited Israel, the UK continued airlift measures to deliver aid into conflict-stricken Gaza.
A total of 35 tonnes of aid has been parachuted into the Palestinian territory over the last week by the UK.
Ministry of Defence photographs showed pallets buoyed by dark green parachutes as they dropped into Gaza from an RAF A400M Atlas transport aircraft.
Aid dropped into Gaza has included water, rice, cooking oil, flour, tinned goods and baby formula.
The UK and its allies continue to work on a new sea route to get aid into Gaza, amid international warnings that its civilians are on the verge of famine.
While the sea route and air drops are aimed at providing extra methods of helping Gazans, ministers have insisted land-based aid crossings from Israel into the Palestinian territory are the best way to get aid in.