A coalition of more than 80 cross-party lawmakers and peers has formally petitioned Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, urging the UK government to implement sanctions and other concrete measures against Israel. The appeal comes ahead of the second anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) landmark advisory opinion, issued on July 19, 2024, regarding Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
In their letter, the parliamentarians argued that the UK maintains both moral and legal responsibilities under international law, yet the government has failed to provide a formal response or enact necessary measures. The group emphasized that international law must not be applied selectively, stating, "The government must apply the same principles to Israel's unlawful occupation as it does elsewhere."
The ICJ previously determined that Israel’s continued presence in the OPT is unlawful and demanded that the state end its presence "as rapidly as possible" while ceasing all new settlement activity. The signatories of the letter contend that two years later, Israel has not only ignored these findings but has intensified its actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The letter warns that without decisive action, the Israeli government will continue to disregard international condemnation and deepen its occupation.
The lawmakers specifically urged the government to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements, sanction individuals and entities linked to the occupation, suspend the UK-Israel trade agreement, and halt all arms transfers to Israel, including the supply of F-35 components. They asserted that if the government wishes to demonstrate a genuine commitment to international law and human rights, it must act immediately.
The urgency of the call follows a period of extreme violence. Since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounded over 173,000, with 90 percent of civilian infrastructure in Gaza affected by the ongoing conflict. Since a ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, Gaza’s health ministry reports that at least 1,108 Palestinians have been killed and 3,578 wounded.
