UK foreign office asks staff to resign if they disagree with Gaza policy
A letter from 300 employees raised issues about Israel’s actions, while officials urged adherence to government policy while promoting professional dissent. Civil servants in the Foreign Office have been told they should resign if they disagree with the Government’s policy over Gaza, reports suggest. Some 300 staff at the Government department, based in the UK and offices abroad, sent a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy raising concerns about Israel’s conduct in Gaza, the BBC reported. The letter warned of “complicity” in Israel’s actions and questioned continued UK arms sales to the country, according to the broadcaster. The Foreign Office’s two most senior officials, Sir Oliver Robbins and Nick Dyer, responded to the letter. “If your disagreement with any aspect of Government policy or action is profound your ultimate recourse is to resign from the Civil Service. This is an honourable course,” they told staff in their reply.
The two Foreign Office bosses insisted they wanted to see a “healthy challenge” to policy but said it was up to civil servants to deliver on the will of the Government. The letter, which follows several other similar missives to Civil Service chiefs, was signed on May 16, the BBC reported. In it, the signatories said: “In July 2024, staff expressed concern about Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law and potential UK government complicity. “In the intervening period, the reality of Israel’s disregard for international law has become more stark.”
They went on to list the killing by Israeli forces of 15 aid workers in March, and the blockade on aid into Gaza, among their concerns. They added that “supported by the Trump administration, the Israeli government has made explicit plans for the forcible transfer of Gaza’s population”. Ministers’ official line is that Israel is “at risk” of breaching international law with its actions in Gaza.
The Government halted 30 out of around 350 arms sales licences to Israel in September last year, for fear they may be used for war crimes. MPs critical of Israel’s actions have called on ministers to go further, and to halt all UK arms sales to the country.