A letter signed by prominent figures from the arts, media, academia, medicine, and law condemns Labour leader Keir Starmer’s stance on the Gaza conflict. The signatories, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Dua Lipa, Gary Lineker, and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos, criticize Starmer’s description of the situation in Gaza as “intolerable” while the UK continues to arm Israel.
The letter highlights the contradiction between Starmer’s rhetoric and the UK’s ongoing arms sales to Israel. It references the International Court of Justice ruling that found South Africa’s claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza is plausible. The letter emphasizes the potential legal ramifications for individuals and institutions involved in arming Israel, given the ICJ’s ruling.
The signatories call for an end to UK arms exports to Israel, arguing that these sales enable actions that may constitute war crimes. They believe that continuing to arm Israel contradicts stated concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and could make UK officials complicit in violations of international law.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/06/03/ldrj-j03.html