UK Government office refuses to accept union letter urging action against Israel over murder of journalists in Gaza

Martin Shipton

Staff at Cardiff’s UK Government Office in Wales refused to accept a hand-delivered letter from the National Union of Journalists urging Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens to argue for an end of arms sales to Israel.

David Nicholson, the co-chair of the NUJ’s Welsh Executive Council, tried to deliver the letter in advance of a vigil at which the names of more than 230 journalists murdered by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza since October 2023 were read aloud.

Around 70 people attended the vigil, which was preceded by speeches from Mr Nicholson, Sian Gale of the Bectu media workers; union, former Plaid Cymru Assembly Member Bethan Sayed, now of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Libby Nolan of Unison Cymru and Stop The War Cymru.

Dismay

The letter, signed by Mr Nicholson and his co-chair Dr Rachel Howells stated: “We write as co-chairs on behalf of the Welsh Executive Council of the National Union of Journalists to express our dismay, sorrow and anger at the sustained murderous attacks of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 61,000 Palestinians including more than 233 journalists and media workers, although some estimates put the figure at 270.

“Nobody seriously doubts that the IDF, at the behest of the Israeli government, has deliberately targeted journalists as part of a strategy intended to suppress the reporting of the atrocities being committed on a daily basis. Such conduct represents an outrageous attack on media freedom and must not be tolerated.

“The targeting and killing of journalists and media workers is a war crime and the NUJ calls on your government to press the International Criminal Court to investigate this as soon as possible. The United Kingdom also needs to add its voice and pressure to the call from the International Federation of Journalists for Israel to allow international media organisations and journalists into Gaza.

“We are alarmed that Israel seems intent on destroying Gaza City, one of the oldest cities in the world, a further escalation that will inevitably result in many more deaths, adding to what is already a humanitarian catastrophe.

“The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the country’s former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. In these circumstances we find it extraordinary and shameful that the UK government of which you are a member continues to supply arms to Israel and assists the IDF with surveillance intelligence.”

‘Handwringing’

It continues: “There has, of course, been a succession of handwringing statements from Ministers about what is happening in Gaza, but such rhetorical expressions of supposed concern mean nothing while the UK continues to provide military assistance to a regime that has bombed and starved many thousands of civilians to death, murdered journalists with impunity and is engaged in an appalling programme of ethnic cleansing.

“In addition to such crimes in Gaza, the Israeli government stands by as settlers murder Palestinians in the West Bank and steal their land. Members of Netanyahu’s government make no secret of their contempt for the lives of Palestinians and of their ambition to steal more Palestinian land, ending any realistic prospect of a two-state solution.

“It is time for the UK to end all logistical support for Israel’s war crimes, and we urge you to press this case as forcefully as you can to your Cabinet colleagues.”

Incredulity

A number of the speakers condemned and expressed incredulity at the decision of UK Government officials not to accept delivery of the letter at their Cardiff office.

We asked the Wales Office for an explanation.

A Wales Office spokesperson said: “The Wales Office is not the UK Government department responsible for building management and security at Ty William Morgan and we are happy to receive correspondence for the Secretary of State for Wales.”

It is understood that the building is managed by HMRC, which occupies nine of the 11 floors and has a policy of not accepting hand-delivered correspondence.

Ms Stevens has been sent the text of the letter by email.