The Gaza Tribunal, an independent nongovernmental inquiry into the United Kingdom’s complicity in the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, has returned to public focus as its co-chairs release a new book titled The Gaza Tribunal: Britain’s Complicity in Genocide. Chaired by former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Israeli professor of human rights law Neve Gordon, and Palestinian legal scholar Shahd Hammouri, the tribunal examines the legal, political, and economic responsibilities of British policymakers in what organizers describe as “one of the biggest crimes in humanity.”
The release of the volume coincides with fresh political shifts in London, where newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently issued an apology regarding the Labour Party’s initial stance on the conflict. Burnham, who succeeded Keir Starmer on July 20 following Starmer’s resignation in June, acknowledged in a public video address that the party’s early response to the military actions in Gaza “didn’t get it right” and fell short of what was required.
As British authorities face ongoing scrutiny over arms export licenses, diplomatic alignment, and a domestic crackdown on activist networks such as Palestine Action under counterterrorism legislation, the co-chairs of the tribunal continue to press for formal accountability. According to public transcripts and reports from Radio Free, the independent panel’s findings are drawn from extensive testimony provided by 29 witnesses, including medical personnel, international aid workers, journalists, and legal experts who assessed the U.K.’s role in supplying military and economic backing to Israel.
Origins and Findings of the Independent Gaza Tribunal
The Gaza Tribunal was established nearly a year ago in London to investigate allegations that British state institutions facilitated violations of international humanitarian law. Operating outside formal state machinery, the tribunal brought together legal scholars and civil society actors to examine state complicity under international treaties. Among its leaders are Jeremy Corbyn, who served as Labour leader from 2015 to 2020 and is a member of the U.K. Parliament; Neve Gordon, an Israeli political scientist and professor of international law at Queen Mary University of London; and Shahd Hammouri, a lecturer in international law and legal theory at the University of Kent, as detailed by Palestina Komitee.
The panel’s proceedings centered on whether the U.K. government breached its obligations by maintaining military trade and diplomatic support. Witnesses presented documentation regarding arms shipments, intelligence sharing, and political defenses offered by British officials in international forums. The resulting book, The Gaza Tribunal: Britain’s Complicity in Genocide, compiles these testimonies and legal arguments to establish a formal public record of state involvement.
Political Realignment and Prime Ministerial Apology
The tribunal’s renewed prominence intersects with significant political changes within the governing U.K. administration. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Manchester and Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade, addressed past political missteps in an online statement ahead of taking office. Burnham stated that the U.K. was too slow in calling for a ceasefire and noted that his administration supports ongoing restrictions on arms licenses to prevent British-supplied equipment from being utilized by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza and the West Bank.
In his remarks, Burnham highlighted several policy adjustments implemented by the government, including the formal recognition of a Palestinian state, the imposition of sanctions on specific Israeli ministers, and restrictive measures targeting violent settlers and associated organizations. However, human rights advocates and tribunal organizers argue that these steps do not go far enough to address historical liability or halt ongoing trade ties with illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Domestic Security Crackdown and Protests
Simultaneously, legal and political tensions have intensified within the United Kingdom regarding domestic dissent. British law enforcement agencies have executed a series of high-profile crackdowns on activist organizations, most notably Palestine Action, utilizing counterterrorism powers to target direct-action protests against defense manufacturers supplying components to Israel.
As the authors of The Gaza Tribunal promote their new publication across academic and political venues in London, questions persist regarding whether current or former policymakers will face formal legal inquiries or international tribunals.