20 months into its genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Israel has launched new major strikes on sites across Iran, which have killed and wounded civilians. Emboldened by the total impunity afforded to it by western governments, Israel has, once again, brought the entire region to the brink of war. Such a war would have catastrophic consequences for many millions of people and must be averted. Over the course of its genocide in Gaza, Israel has launched a series of reckless attacks across the Middle East, including its attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria in April 2024, its electronic device terrorist attacks in September 2024, and its invasion of Lebanon beginning a month later, which has killed over 2,700 people. It is now likely that the attacks on Iran over the past 24 hours will continue in the coming days. 

Western governments including Britain and the USA, who have continued to supply Israel with weapons, and provide diplomatic support and political cover to continue its genocide in Gaza and attacks across the Middle East, share a heavy degree of responsibility for the current situation. Since October 2023, we have warned of the dangers of a major regional conflagration. The British government has ignored those warnings and instead allowed Israel to act with total impunity. Even now, instead of bringing pressure to bear to prevent more war, Britain is fuelling escalation by continuing its active military cooperation with Israel.  

As Israel carpet bombs and starves Gaza, intensifies its land grabs and attacks in the West Bank, and now launches major attacks in Iran, the responsibilities on the British government could not be clearer. It must impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and introduce wide ranging sanctions on Israel and all its government ministers, including Benjamin Netanyahu. It must make clear it will do everything in its power oppose all further escalation by Israel. There is every indication that Israel will use these attacks and any Iranian response to bolster the support it receives from Western states, allowing it to escalate its genocide without consequences. This must not be allowed to happen.  

The current situation is built on the foundations of 75 years of colonisation, ethnic cleansing and imposition of a system of apartheid against the Palestinian people. A just peace in the Middle East can only be achieved by ending Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip, dismantling Israel’s settler-colonial, apartheid regime, and when Palestinians achieve freedom, justice and return. 

We demand the British government stop arming Israel, and call for an immediate end to the genocide, and no wider war.