At 08:30am on Tuesday 13th May, pro-Palestine activists hung an 80-foot (25m) banner reading “Stop Arming Israel” from Waterloo Bridge in view of rush hour commuters.

The protest took place metres from the Royal Courts of Justice where the legal challenge to the UK government’s continued arms sales to Israel begins today. Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network have taken on this case in service of a larger global campaign of over 230 global civil society organisations demanding an end to the production of F-35 fighter jets. Legal proceedings against the UK government argue that ongoing arms exports to Israel contravene both UK arms exports policies and the duty to prevent genocide under international law.

Last Wednesday, the Palestinian Youth Movement released a report detailing how Britain has approved arms export licences to Israel worth at least £500,000 since exports were allegedly suspended in September 2024. The report also accused Foreign Minister David Lammy of misleading Parliament over the supposedly “defensive” nature of British arms exports to Israel.

Human rights and legal experts have repeatedly called Israel’s military campaign in Gaza a “genocide”. These include UN human rights chief Craig Mokhiber and 800 scholars of international law.  

At least 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. Thousands more have been injured or remain missing, believed trapped under rubble. Millions of people have been displaced, and 92% of children are suffering from malnutrition, with thousands likely to die from starvation. Humanitarian organisations like Oxfam have stated that by blocking food and water supplies Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war. 

Leila Malik, from the group London for a Free Palestine, which organised the action said: “How many more Palestinians will Britain help Israel to slaughter before we say enough is enough? Whatever the outcome in the courts, the will of the British people is clear – we want an end to Israel’s impunity and to our complicity in genocide. That starts by implementing a two-way arms embargo now.”

London for a Free Palestine is on Instagram@london4pal

Tell FIFA to ban Israel!

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is calling on people to take action to demand that Israel is banned from FIFA at its upcoming Congress on 15th May.  Send your email here.

Demonstrate Saturday 17th May

Main image: MARK KERRISON