A British parliamentarian has backed the UK's decision to suspend licences for arms exports to Israel and resigned from his role as a patron of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).
Writing for The Independent on Monday, crossbench peer Lord Carlile said Prime Minister Keir Starmer "was right" to suspend the licences, calling it "both courageous and correct under the rule of law" to comply with international law and avoid contributing to the violation of human rights.
"This [arms suspension] was a decision reached after receiving and absorbing detailed legal advice," Lord Carlile wrote.
"It is crucial that the rule of law…is not shouted down in an unruly way by people who are acting on prejudice, dressed up as principle," adding that parties and individual members "frequently express pride in the UK’s historic adherence to the rule of law".
Carlile also revealed that the same legal advice used by Starmer and Lammy to justify the suspension was known by senior ministers, including the then-UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, who reportedly chose not to act on it.
A source close to Cameron denied that he had not followed legal action, according to The Independent.
Carlile also noted that other nations, including Italy, Spain, and Canada, had restricted arms sales to Israel based on the same legal foundations.
He hit back at those critiquing the ban, being "concerned by the overreaction" of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "dismayed" by comments made by senior figures, including UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.
"It is insidious that democracy, brought about by parliamentarians doing exactly what legal advice dictates, should be hijacked by populist sloganeering," he adds, especially from former Prime Ministers like Boris Johnson "who should know better".
Carlile also criticised Netanyahu, saying his "stubborn resistance" to a ceasefire deal "signifies a person no longer fit for high office".
The opinion piece was published the same day UK Lawyers for Israel threatened legal action against the British government over suspending the licenses, claiming it is unjustified.
In a copy of the letter published, Lord Carlile is listed as one of the patrons of the organisations.
However, in a turn of events, Lord Carlile told Middle East Eye he had also resigned from the group on the same day, providing no further details.
His profile appears to have been removed from UKLFI's website on Monday.
