The Prime Minister published a statement earlier this week welcoming the ceasefire deal in the region. Within it, he recalled “the massacre of Jewish people” while simply saying Palestinians “lost their lives”.
Starmer also paid tribute to “the British people who were murdered by Hamas” but notably did not mention British people killed by Israel, including three aid workers in Gaza in April.
The Prime Minister said the war on Gaza had been “triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust” and described how Israeli captives were “brutally ripped from their homes” and “held in unimaginable conditions”.
READ MORE: Scots nurse saved Palestinian child with ‘bullet lodged in neck’
But there was a shift in tone when he moved on to discuss Palestinian victims of Israel. He that innocent Palestinians had their “homes turned into a warzone overnight”, but did not say who was responsible for such atrocities.
He further referred to “the many who have lost their lives”, but did not say they were killed by Israel.
Dr Richard McNeil-Willson, who lectures in the Islamic and Middle Eastern studies department at Edinburgh University, told The National Starmer has “downplayed” Palestinian losses with his words.
He added he believes he has done this because his Government is “complicit” in war crimes.
“The Labour Government has attempted to frame the destruction of Gaza by Israel as an acceptable response to October 7, 2023, despite international law, legal bodies and human rights groups stating otherwise,” he said.
Gazans celebrate as news of a ceasefire spreads (Image: Getty)
“It has continued to target and even, in some instances, criminalise those who have sought to promote ceasefire. It has downplayed Palestinian loses – including failing to mention British citizens who have been killed by Israel – and devalued Muslim and Arab lives.
“We see this in the media too, with national UK media shown to be disproportionately biased towards a pro-Israeli framing and narrative, and to promote Israel’s right to defend itself over Palestinian right to life.
“Starmer’s Government has done this, I believe, in part because it is complicit in these crimes.
“Accepting international law and the genocide of Palestinians means that countries, such as the UK, who continue to sanction arms sales to Israel, are active participants in some of the worst crimes imaginable.
“This comes with severe legal ramifications that the UK Government wants to avoid, to ensure the continuation of a cosy relationship with its military allies and arms manufacturers.”
READ MORE: Stephen Flynn tells David Lammy he’ll be ‘judged by history’ over Gaza
Number 10 said it had nothing further to add to Starmer’s statement when approached by The National.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry, but experts believe the death toll is significantly higher.
MP Zarah Sultana said of Starmer’s statement on X: “No mention of UK arms sales that have enabled the genocide in Gaza.”
The UK Government suspended some arms exports to Israel last September, but only around 30 licences out of a total of approximately 350.
McNeil-Willson said the approach taken by Starmer will be costly for the UK.
He said: “Ultimately, this approach has and will cost the UK greatly in its ability to support human rights abroad, severely undermining its credibility on the international stage, whilst also actively diminishing the rights of minorities and activism at home.”
A ceasefire deal was reached earlier this week following weeks of negotiations. It promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Israel’s security cabinet met on Friday to approve the ceasefire deal, paving the way for the full Israeli cabinet to sign off on the deal, which would come into place on Sunday.