Overview

• More than 300 Foreign Office officials signed a May 16 letter to David Lammy warning that continued UK arms exports to Israel risk complicity in international humanitarian law breaches
• Sir Oliver Robbins and deputy Nick Dyer replied that civil servants with “profound” opposition to government policy have an honourable recourse to resign under the Civil Service Code
• Signatories voiced outrage and disappointment at the response, arguing it restricts internal mechanisms for policy challenge and undermines healthy debate
• The Foreign Office maintains it rigorously applies international law and has suspended about 30 of 350 export licences, including F-35 parts, deemed at risk of misuse in Gaza
• Jeremy Corbyn has rallied 50 MPs to demand an independent public inquiry into the UK’s involvement in military operations in Gaza to ensure accountability