New Film with Juliet Stevenson: Every Day A New Atrocity
Award-winning actor Juliet Stevenson has released the short film “Every day a new atrocity”, calling again on the UK government to end its complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine by ending arms trade to Israel
This follows the film series, “Stop Arming Israel” produced by Artists for Palestine UK, Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) and Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq, released in July. GLAN and Al-Haq have taken legal action against the UK government to suspend weapons sales to Israel. The Hearing in the High Court will take place on November 18.
Whilst the government declared earlier this month that it had suspended arms exports to Israel, in reality the suspension applies to only 8% of the arms the UK exports and the most deadly - components of F-35 fighter jets - are exempt. Last week, lawyers from the Global Legal Action Network and Al-Haq warned the government of their criminal liability over the continued exports.
This call by Juliet Stevenson is part of an ongoing global movement by Palestinians, artists, civil society and legal experts advocating for the UK government to end the export of weapons and weapon parts to Israel over the last year.
Over 100 leading cultural figures in Britain, including Oscar and BAFTA-winners, called on the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to commit to stop arming Israel prior to the Labour landslide victory in the general election earlier this year.
Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a GLAN lawyer said:
"F-35s are notoriously used to drop 2000 lb bombs in Gaza. Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on earth, and these lethal fighter jets cause untold civilian death and destruction. Through its partial revocation of arms licences on 2 September, the UK Government has recognised that there is a clear risk that UK weapons are being used to breach IHL. In this context, it is manifestly unlawful and unjust - and likely criminal - to keep sending F-35s to Israel."
Actor Juliet Stevenson said:
“Day after day, the news from Gaza is heart-rending. We are witnessing war crimes on a terrible and escalating scale. The UK is giving practical support to the military which is committing them. This has to stop.”
Shawan Jabarin, General Director of Al-Haq said:
“For almost a year now, Israel has been carrying out genocidal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, and we know that Israeli airstrikes and bombs using F-35 fighter jets have devastated densely populated areas, including shelters for displaced Palestinians. The insurmountable evidence that Israel is committing violations and international crimes means the UK government can’t feign ignorance. The UK should immediately suspend licences to export F-35 components to Israel as an end user via third-party countries and impose a full two-way arms embargo on Israel, in line with its obligations under international law.”
Artists for Palestine UK spokesperson said:
“Actions speak louder than words. The UK government calls for a ceasefire - but continues its material support for Israel's war without limit. Complicity in genocide is a crime, for which our government must be held to account. As artists appalled by the eradication of Palestinian life and culture, we fully endorse the case that GLAN and Al-Haq are taking to the High Court.”
This work relies on crowdfunding, please support this case: Stop the UK's profit from war (crowdjustice.com)
Al-Haq is an independent Palestinian non-governmental human rights organisation based in Ramallah, West Bank. It was establ_ished in 1979 to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the organisation has special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Al Haq documents violations of the individual and collective rights of Palestinians in the OPT and in doing so it conducts research; prepares reports, studies and interventions on breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law in the OPT; and undertakes advocacy before local, regional and international bodies. For its work protecting and promoting human rights, Al-Haq has been awarded numerous international awards. alhaq.org
Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) is a U.K.-based legal non-profit organisation with offices in the U.K. and Ireland. GLAN works with affected communities to pursue innovative legal actions across borders to challenge powerful actors involved in human rights violations and systemic injustice.
Artists for Palestine UK is a growing network of artists and cultural workers standing together in support of Palestinian liberation and for a just resolution for all in Israel/Palestine, including Palestinian refugees. This collaboration enlists creatives to help illustrate the importance and urgency of the legal case.
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