In one of the most significant parliamentary interventions on Palestine since the start of the Gaza genocide, more than 70 cross-party MPs and peers have signed a letter urging the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel.
The letter, coordinated by Neil Duncan-Jordan, the Labour MP for Poole, and addressed to foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, is aimed at Benjamin Netanyahu and ‘Israeli’ Justice Minister, Yariv Levin.
It says that sanctioning the occupation’s government is necessary because “the responsibility for the systematic and well-documented torture of Palestinian civilians lies with the government of Israel, including Prime Minister Netanyahu”.
Duncan-Jordan explained what led to the letter:
I first heard of the aid flotillas to Gaza when Poole’s Louie Findlater joined an earlier mission. I was deeply worried for Louie when drone strikes hit boats delivering food and medical supplies.
The flotilla, like the tragic case of John Chapman from Poole, who was delivering food with World Central Kitchen when his convoy was hit by a missile strike – brought home the reality that if Israel, or any country, is allowed to break international law without consequences, the outcome is a more dangerous world for all of us.
Israel government has been sanctioned before
In June 2025, the UK announced sanctions against Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
But, as the signatories to this letter argue, these sanctions “have done little to change the government of Israel’s approach to Palestinian detainees”.
Instead, since being implemented “the systematic torture of Palestinians, including children, has escalated, with near total impunity”.
These further deteriorating conditions, they say, warrant sanctions against additional senior figures, including Netanyahu and Levin.
What signatories told the Canary
The letter reaches well beyond a single party. Its backers include Labour MPs, independent parliamentarians, representatives of the SNP, MPs from the Welsh and Irish nationalist parties, the Green Party, one Conservative MP, and members of the House of Lords.
Parliamentarians have united from across the Commons and the Lords to call for accountability. This reflects growing concern over torture and systemic human rights abuses in ‘Israeli’ occupation jails.
Several of those explained to the Canary why they signed the letter:
Adnan Hussain, Independent MP for Blackburn
The evidence of systematic torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees, including children, is now overwhelming, and responsibility for this barbaric activity runs to the very top of the Israeli government. This is a state that continues to carry out a genocide in Gaza.
Sanctioning individual ministers is welcome, but it cannot become a means of confining blame to a handful of names while the institution that ordered, armed, and directed this genocide escapes accountability.
This genocide is being committed by the entirety of the state apparatus, and it is the state as a whole which must now be sanctioned, and those already wanted for war crimes must be made to stand trial for what they have done.
Steve Witherden, Labour MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr:
The UK Government’s current approach has done little to dissuade Israel from detaining and abusing nonviolent activists, including one of my constituents. It continues to inflict collective punishment on the people of Palestine.
There are tools in the toolbox that remain unused. The Foreign Secretary must levy far stronger sanctions.”
The Israeli Government tortures prisoners, including children.
I’ve supported @gbsumudflotilla in its letter opposing torture and sexual violence.
It calls for sanctions on Benjamin Netanyahu.
Time for widespread sanctions and to finally recognise the genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/y5hM126gce
— Neil Duncan-Jordan MP (@NeilForPoole) July 2, 2026
Baroness Manzila Uddin:
The UK government has greater and historical responsibility towards the Palestinians, more so than any other nation.
Thus far consecutive governments have not honoured its promises to protect the Palestinian people. Even though they have endured decades of violence, ethnic cleansing, [and] now obliteration of Gaza – with hundreds of thousands of deaths and injured, disproportionately women and children amongst them.
Alongside this, the annexation of the West Bank continues, with citizens being displaced or murdered.
We as signatories are calling on our government to utilise every legal means and international laws available to stop Israel committing ongoing atrocities, by extending sanctions on their Prime Minister and Justice Minister as an urgent measure.
Paul Maskey, Sinn Fein MP for Belfast West:
The ongoing genocide and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza demands more than expressions of concern, it requires meaningful action. The scale of suffering, the continued bombardment, the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid and the repeated findings of breaches of international law mean the British Government cannot continue with business as usual.
The international community has a responsibility to act, to stand up for the people of Palestine and uphold international law. We cannot remain silent while thousands of Palestinians continue to suffer. That is why we are calling on the British government to impose sanctions.
They must also suspend trade with illegal settlements and take concrete action to help bring an end to this devastating conflict.
Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, and the only Conservative politician to sign:
We have run out of other options: Israel’s actions in the West Bank will swiftly make a two-state solution impossible to achieve. We have already sanctioned individual ministers and some military supplies. So the principle is conceded. We should press on.
UK government can’t continue with business as usual
The signatories point to several developments during 2026. They reference findings by the UN Special Rapporteur that torture had become “integral” to the ‘Israeli’ occupation’s treatment of Palestinian detainees.
They also cite controversy surrounding the decision by ‘Israeli’ military prosecutors to drop charges in a case involving the rape of a Palestinian detainee. The assault was partially caught on CCTV, and the victim arrived at hospital in a life threatening condition.
Netanyahu responded to this case by criticising the prosecutors and praised the decision to drop charges.
The letter also mentions the abuse faced by detained activists, including British nationals from the Global Sumud Flotilla and Freedom Flotilla Coalition. They were subjected to beatings and degrading treatment after being intercepted by ‘Israeli’ occupation naval forces and taken into custody.
Taken together, the MPs argue these incidents demonstrate what they describe as an entrenched pattern of abuse rather than isolated misconduct.
Central to their argument is that responsibility reaches the highest levels of the ‘Israeli’ occupation government. Therefore, for any measures to be effective, these are the areas that need to be targeted. Anything less are token measures which will prove ineffective.
While parliamentary criticism of the criminal actions of ‘Israel’ has intensified since the genocide in Gaza began, effective concrete action is almost unheard of. Whether the government will act on the request to sanction Netanyahu and Levin remains uncertain.
FCDO: ‘Reports of mistreatment are disgraceful’
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told Sky News:
The reports of mistreatment of detainees by Israeli forces are disgraceful. We have raised this issue with the Israeli government.
This response by the FCDO is remarkably weak. Why has it not taken action already? In the letter to Yvette Cooper, the FCDO cites what it describes as mounting evidence from international investigators, human rights organisations and eyewitness testimony of widespread abuse of Palestinians in ‘Israeli’ occupation custody.
For years, the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, medical experts and numerous others have documented numerous violations by ‘Israel’. These include torture, sexual and physical assaults, and emotional abuse of Palestinian detainees. This is in addition to unsanitary and inhumane detention conditions behind bars.
Countries, including UK, have legal obligation to act
There should also be questions as to why the UK is raising this issue with the ‘Israeli’ occupation government, the perpetrators of the crime.
Research has found internal investigations by the occupation’s authorities into abuses committed by their own military and prison services lead nowhere. They bring no hope of justice.
Only independent, impartial and transparent investigations will bring genuine accountability. Not the occupation investigating its own war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Countries have a legal obligation to investigate credible allegations of torture and other grave abuses. However, where the alleged perpetrators and investigators belong to the same state institutions, this is pointless.
The UK also has binding legal obligations under international law to prevent torture and ensure accountability. And, as a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture and the Geneva Conventions, the UK is required to take active steps to prevent abuses, and not facilitate or ignore violations.
Featured image via Haaretz
By Charlie Jaay
