Responding to recent international developments in the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, Dr Ellie Chowns, leader of the Parliamentary Green Party, said:

“Just weeks ago we saw Trump and Netanyahu launch illegal strikes against Iran in the midst of ongoing negotiations, endangering countless civilian lives and dragging the entire surrounding region into chaos. Despite the clear human cost of this flagrant breach of international law, the UK Government did not condemn the initial attacks made by the US and Israel. On the contrary, Keir Starmer has continued to stress Britian’s allyship with these two nations – and in allowing the US to use UK military bases for ‘defensive’ action, has risked dragging the UK further into an illegal war.

“The US and Israel have continuously flouted international law with apparent impunity. Whether concerning Israel’s genocide in Gaza and illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank or the US’s unilateral attacks on Venezuela in the name of oil imperialism, the UK Government has refused to pursue appropriate action against these nations for breaching international law or to re-evaluate their status as allies to Britain.

“This permissiveness has not tempered the two countries. Following the strikes on Iran, Israel has expanded their ground campaign in Lebanon, displacing a million people throughout the country and seemingly preparing for prolonged occupation of southern Lebanon. Trump has intensified his threats against Cuba following the collapse of the island nation’s energy grid under a US-imposed oil blockade, declaring just yesterday that he believes he will ‘take’ the country and ‘could do anything [he] want[s] with it.’

“This cannot continue. The Green Party calls on the UK Government to make clear to Trump and Netanyahu the UK will not accept breaches of international law, to withdraw permission for the US to use UK military bases, and to refuse any further complicity in this illegal war. Furthermore, we reiterate our calls for the UK to halt all arms sales to and military cooperation with the Israeli Government, to drive independent investigations into war crimes committed and support justice mechanisms for victims, and to impose sanctions on government officials responsible for breaches of international law.”