UK diplomat resigns over arms sales to Israel
Mark Smith says continued sales could mean Britain is complicit in war crimes
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
A British diplomat says he has resigned from the Foreign Office because he believes that arms sales to Israel may be making the UK “complicit in war crimes”.
On Friday, Mark Smith, who was Second Secretary at the British Embassy in Dublin, posted a long online resignation letter in which he wrote that “senior members of the Israeli government and military have expressed open genocidal intent” and “Israeli soldiers take videos deliberately burning, destroying and looting civilian property”.
Such behaviour, Smith said, was daily “clear and unquestionable examples of war crimes and breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza perpetuated by the state of Israel.”
He said it was “with sadness that I resign after a long career in the diplomatic service, however I can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in war crimes.”
Israel denies any breach of international law and describes its operations in Gaza as a “just war” in response to Hamas’s 7 October killings.
The outgoing diplomat says he previously presided over the arms export licensing assessment in the Middle East and North African Department, which he says makes him a “subject matter expert”.
“There is no justification for the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel and yet somehow it continues,” he writes.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “This government is committed to upholding international law.
“We have made clear that we will not export items if they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
“There is an ongoing review process to assess whether Israel is complying with international humanitarian law, which the Foreign Secretary [David Lammy] initiated on day one in office.”
The spokesperson said the Foreign Office would not comment on individual cases.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
