LONDON (Dispatches) – Amnesty International has condemned an ultimatum given by the UK Foreign Office to civil servants who express concern over government policy on Gaza. A statement by the human rights organization said that civil servants were told to consider resigning if they disagree with policy over Gaza
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s deeply troubling that Foreign Office staff raising legitimate human rights concerns about the UK’s role in Gaza are being told to consider resignation as a response.
She added, “This sends a chilling message to civil servants – and to the wider public – that principled dissent on matters of international law and human rights is unwelcome in government.
“The concerns raised by staff about arms exports, the killing of aid workers, and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza are not only justified, but they also reflect widespread public concern and are grounded in the UK’s legal obligations under international law.
“Suppressing internal scrutiny does not make these concerns disappear. On the contrary, it raises urgent questions about the UK’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law. Civil servants should be empowered not silenced when they speak out against potential complicity in serious human rights violations.”
Amnesty International’s UK Chief Executive called on the British Government to “do more than acknowledge these concerns behind closed doors. It must urgently suspend all arms transfers to Israel that risk being used to commit war crimes and ensure full transparency over its decision-making.”
“Now more than ever, courage and clarity are needed from all parts of government. A commitment to human rights should not be a resignation issue, it should be a guiding principle,” the Amnesty executive said.
Meanwhile, former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has heavily criticized David Cameron after Middle East Eye revealed on Monday that the former UK foreign secretary privately threatened to defund and withdraw from the International Criminal Court if it issued arrest warrants for the Zionist regime’s officials.
Cameron, then foreign secretary in Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, made the threat in April 2024 in a heated phone call with Karim Khan, the British chief prosecutor of the court.
“It is shameful that Lord Cameron allegedly threatened the ICC for having the audacity to do their job,” Yousaf, who was the Scottish first minister when Cameron made the threat, told MEE on Tuesday in a significant intervention.
“He should immediately come clean and apologize if this was indeed the case.”