Foreign Office staff told to consider resigning if they disagree on Gaza

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.
“Honourable course”
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.
“Government complicity”
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.
Response
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Since day one, this Government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza.
“One of our first acts in Government was to suspend export licences that could be used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza.
“We have successfully implemented the suspension decision and continue to refuse all relevant licence applications.
“We have suspended direct exports of F-35 parts for use by Israel, and we categorically do not export any bombs or ammunition which could be used in Gaza.
“We have also suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement, while supporting humanitarian efforts through the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and the commitment of over £230 million in assistance across the past two financial years.”
They added: “It is the job of civil servants to deliver on the policies of the government of the day and to provide professional, impartial advice as set out in the Civil Service Code. There are systems in place which allow them to raise concerns if they have them.”
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Human rights lawyer turns into Twmp clone…
This is outrageous, civil service total walkout…
Can you believe it, Clark the Crusader, behind a facade of democracy lies the ‘East Germany’ of my youth, watch out civil servants they will be watching your every thought…
Twmp left the door open and Clark von Kent has nipped through it to join him in the Endgame…
It is all written in the Bible apparently in the Book of Ezekiel, so a done deal then…
This was something I found on the Internet regarding Knights in medieval times: “Knights were expected to adhere to these principles in their actions and interactions, treating others with respect and showing compassion towards the weak and defenseless.” Somewhere along the line, one of the gentlemen that wrote this horrible letter forgot why he was given a Knighthood. The children in Ghazza did not commit any of the October 7th atrocities.
Civil servants are supposed to be nonpolitical and are in office to advlse the government of the day .What has een happe ing in Gaza has been comdemned around the world as being totally dispreportionate and against IInternational Law. Trump has NOT pubically condemned the stoppong of humanitarian aid into Gaza and they have as continued to bomb schools and hospitals and continue to force families to move from one place to another which then is attacked . Without Independent Journalists being allowed into Gaza the true situation can only be imagined but video of the mass bombing is there… Read more »
The principle of allowing oneself to partake in actions that can cause harm using the excuse of ‘Following Orders’ was thoroughly explored and comprehensively debunked in Nuremberg in 1945-6. The civil servants complaining about the government’s actions are perfectly at liberty to raise their objections on humanitarian and moral grounds without implied threat of sanction. Robins and Dyer should.be reminded that they might face trial as accessories after the fact in assisting the Government to facilitate the commission of Crimes against Humanity by supplying arms and logistics to Israel in its genocide, if the ICJ turns its attention to Israel’s… Read more »