AhlulBayt News Agency: A political storm has erupted in the United Kingdom after leaked private messages revealed that a senior Labour minister privately acknowledged that “Israel is committing war crimes before our eyes,” even as the government avoided making such a determination publicly.
The July 2025 messages have intensified scrutiny of Labour’s position on Gaza and the government’s continued political and military ties with Israel.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to publicly address his private admission made in a WhatsApp exchange with then‑US Ambassador Peter Mandelson.
In the leaked message, Streeting stated, “Israel is committing war crimes before our eyes,” adding that Israeli officials “speak the language of ethnic cleansing,” and that British medics in Gaza had described “calculated brutality against women and children.”
Despite this, the Labour government’s official stance remains that Israel is at “clear risk” of breaching international law, without explicitly stating that violations have occurred.
Streeting’s private remarks surfaced after he published WhatsApp messages with Mandelson in an attempt to distance himself from a separate controversy involving the Labour peer.
In his letter, Corbyn wrote that once a government acknowledges war crimes, “any continued military or political support becomes an admission that it is knowingly aiding and abetting those crimes.”
He added that such an acknowledgment triggers legal obligations for states to “search for persons alleged to have committed grave breaches and bring them before their own courts.”
Corbyn accused Streeting of failing to publicly state what he privately believed, arguing that the messages show the government was “complicit in war crimes” while continuing to support Israel militarily, economically, and diplomatically.
The letter was co‑signed by MPs Ayoub Khan, Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussain, and Iqbal Mohamed.
Corbyn asked Streeting to explain why he did not resign over government policy and whether he believes the UK is complicit in Israeli war crimes.
The dispute comes amid ongoing allegations regarding Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The International Association of Genocide Scholars has accused Israel of genocide, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The debate also extends to the West Bank, where the World Court has ordered Israel to end its illegal occupation, even as Palestinians face escalating settler violence.
The controversy adds further strain within UK politics as Labour faces renewed pressure over its Gaza stance and broader foreign policy direction.
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