The Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton and Israel’s Genocide in Gaza

21 June 2025

“The British government privately threatened to defund and withdraw from the International Criminal Court if it issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, Middle East Eye can reveal.

David Cameron, then foreign secretary in Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, made the threat in April 2024 in a heated phone call with Karim Khan, the British chief prosecutor of the court.”

David Hearst & Imran Mulla, “David Cameron threatened o withdraw UK from ICC over Israel war crimes probe”, Middle East Eye, 9 June 2025.

David Cameron occupied Britain's foreign office from 13 November 2023 to 5 July 2024 throughout Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Israel’s onslaught followed a successful resistance operation from the occupied and enclaved Gaza that has been enduring also Israel’s and Zionism’s rejection to resolve the Question of Palestine based on justice, rights-based approach, and reasonable as opposed to messianic historical comprehension. Israel’s immediate response to the resistance operation resulted in the killing of most of the Israeli civilians who died that day. A fact that Israeli military censorship and the government continue to conceal to this day. Israeli officials and propagandists and their followers in certain countries falsely claimed that Israeli women were raped, in an attempt to blur the military failure of 7 October 2023.       

Cameron is an experienced British politician and international diplomat, having served as leader of the Conservative Party in Britain from 2005 to 2016 and as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016. The Foreign Secretary led the policy of America’s closest ally, Britain, leaving little doubt about his government’s complicity in Israel’s heinous crimes in Gaza. Many of the elements that define the Biden and Trump administrations’ collusion with Israel’s abhorrent illegality are also present in Cameron’s representation of Britain's foreign policy.  These are the supply of weapons, providing Israel with diplomatic shielding at the United Nations Security Council, opposing any form of accountability for Israel’s crimes, and adhering to the wishes of the Israel lobby in Britain. Cameron defiantly conducted his policy, opposing public protests, petitions,[1] and internal unrest among civil servants.

While American weapons supply to Israel has been overwhelming under the coordination of CENTCOM’s commander, Michael Kurilla,[2] Britain also played a key role in arming the brutal exercise of illegality in Gaza.[3]Cameron followed the lead of his American counterpart in opposing ceasefire resolutions at the U.N. Security Council.[4] Great Britain's Foreign Secretary shamelessly parroted America’s rejection of South Africa’s attempt to hold Israel accountable for committing genocide before the International Court of Justice. He described the significant legal challenge as ‘nonsense’[5] and expressed ‘considerable concerns’[6]  about the ICJ’s ruling on Israel’s obligation to prevent genocide.

Cameron stood firm in his alignment with the Biden administration, thwarting also the ICJ’s ruling directing Israel to end its offensive in Rafah.[7] Constituting an obedient shadow of Blinken’s policy, Cameron had formerly denounced another attempt for legal redress on behalf of Palestinians seeking to block the case for an advisory opinion before the ICJ to declare the illegality of Israel’s long-standing occupation of Palestine’s 1967 territories: East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.[8] 

Denying the nature of Yemen’s humanitarian intervention and warnings at the Red Sea, the UK joined the US in engaging in hostilities while continuing the military and diplomatic support for Israel’s unfathomable international crimes.[9] Cameron seems to have made every possible error to make him complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, even withholding humanitarian aid from the agency that provides aid to Palestinians in Gaza, UNRWA.[10]

Etonian Cameron faced trouble with the law given his calamitous policy towards Israel’s barbarity in Gaza. Up to 300 civil servants in his foreign office demanded a change in course, particularly following the proceedings before the ICJ in South Africa’s case about Israel’s perpetration of genocide. He remained steady through the internal storm.[11] The foreign secretary of the former imperial country failed to commit to his own office’s internal advice regarding his probable complicity in Israel’s incompetent willful cruelty. Advice that he received since February 2024 and intentionally disregarded, most notably by his insistence to continue arming Israel.[12]  

Cameron’s climactic act of complicity in Israel’s viciousness was heeding the Biden administration’s nudge to pressure the International Criminal Court’s prosecution from exercising its jurisdiction to capture Israel’s international criminality in Gaza. Middle East Eye reported exclusively that:

The British government privately threatened to defund and withdraw from the International Criminal Court if it issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, Middle East Eye can reveal. 

David Cameron, then foreign secretary in Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, made the threat in April 2024 in a heated phone call with Karim Khan, the British chief prosecutor of the court.[13]

Not being a member of the ICC, the United States has often resorted to its G7 allies to pressure this court in accordance with its geopolitical interests. Two Trump administrations have sanctioned senior staff of the ICC.[14] The Biden administration applies only soft power to reach the same objective.[15]The consequences to the credibility of American foreign policy may be genuine and imminent, but the motivation to confront typical American abuse of power is even greater.  

British Conservative governments have consistently and operationally opposed applying the ICC jurisdiction to Israel’s grave illegalities. Under Cameron’s leadership and direction, the British Foreign Office filed an amicus brief before the ICC contesting its jurisdiction over Israel’s abhorrence, disregarding Israel’s persistence in committing genocide.[16] The move was a return to Boris Johnson’s intrusive critique of ICC jurisdiction[17], not abolished by mild reconsideration.[18]  

Britain's colonial legacy in Palestine will most probably haunt the country forever. From the illegal and deceptive 1917 Balfour Declaration to crushing the 1936 – 139 Palestinian revolt against British rule, to training Zionist forces, particularly by messianic Orde Wingate, Britain has contributed significantly to dismantling Palestine’s population, leading to its ethnic cleansing in 1948 and instilling a colonial and apartheid entity instead. The fact that British rule in Palestine endured Zionist terrorism without any political consequences testifies to the nature of British politics at home and abroad. As a rule, English Conservatives are hostile to the idea of Palestine and the rights of Palestinians.

In the United States, the dominance of the Israel lobby on presidential and congressional politics towards Palestine of both major parties is almost total that keeps trying to creep towards the academic sphere there as well. In Britain, this lobby is less dominant but still very powerful and often decisive. The Conservatives follow the group of Conservatives Friends of Israel, who obtained Boris Johnson’s public declaration against the ICC’s jurisdiction over Israel.[19] Similar groups operate among the other political parties.[20] Throughout the years, Tony Blair’s most significant donor, Michael Levy, has been recognized for his staunch support of Israel regardless of its nature and conduct. His recent slight change of mind in the wake of Israel’s behemoth ineffective horror is too insignificant to redeem his lasting guilt.

Although the Labor government had introduced some minor shifts in policy since assuming power, there are alarming indicators that it maintains its support for Israel, cherishing its unbreakable alliance with the Israel lobby-dominated American administration.[21]Starmer remains silent about Israel’s atrocities, and remarkably did not critique it when it broke the ceasefire on 18 March 2025. His priority is proper trade relations with a unilateral American administration that listens closely to the Adelson family and a mean-spirited but shortsighted Stephen Miller. Starmer may think he is on the ‘right side of history’ and realizing Britain's interests. The law, however, is clearly on the other side.  

    David Cameron and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Source: The New Statesman, 29 November 2023.

[1] Geneva Abdul, “London protest calls for Gaza ceasefire and boycott of ‘Israel-linked’ brands”, The Guardian, 23 December 2023; Haroon Siddique, “Fourth former UK Supreme court judge signs letter over Israeli actions in Gaza”, The Guardian, 4 April 2024. See also Ella Creamer et al, “Sally Rooney, Rachel Kushner and Arundhati Roy call for boycott of Israeli cultural institutions”, The Guardian, 28 October 2024.   

[2] Phil Stewart, “Senior US general flies into Israel as its war with Hamas deepens “, Reuters, 17 October 2023; Missy Ryan et al, “Biden’s arming of Israel faces backlash as Gaza’s civilian toll grows”, Washington Post, 9 December 2023; John Hudson, “U.S. floods arms into Israel despite mounting alarm over war’s conduct”, Washington Post, 6 March 2024; Bret Murphy, “Inside the State Department’s Weapons Pipeline to Israel”, ProPublica, 4 October 2024; TOI Staff, “US move to expedite delivery of $4 billion in military air to Israel”, Times of Israel, 2 March 2025.

[3] See, for example, Alex Gatopoulos, “UK, US involvement in Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon via 6,000 military flights”, Al-Jazeera English, 23 October 2024.

[4] Andrew Sparrow, “David Cameron defends UK’s decision not to vote for UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza”, The Guardian, 14 December 2023.

[5] Jennifer Scott, “’Nonsense’ or South Africa to accuse Israel of genocide, says foreign secretary”, 15 January 2025.

[6] AFP et al, “UK says it has ‘considerable concerns’ about ICJ ruling, rejects genocide accusation”, Times of Israel, 27 January 2024.

[7] Patrick Wintour, “US and UK to back Israel over ICJ ruling after blurring their Rafah red lines”, The Guardian, 24 May 2024.

[8] Bethan McKernan, “UK ‘seeking to block ICJ ruling’ on Israeli occupation of Palestine”, The Guardian, 24 August 2023.

[9] “Britain ‘considering airstrikes’ on Houthi rebels after Red Sea attacks”, The Guardian, 31 December 2025; Mansea Khurana Houthis promise to respond to U.S. and U.K. strike in the Red Sea”, NPR, 12 January 2024.

[10] Peter Osborne, “David Cameron has fallen for Israel’s dodgy dossier on UNRWA”, Middle East Eye, 6 February 2024.

[11] Matt Benson, “Gaza: Revolt in the Foreign Office”, Declassified UK, 30 May 2024.

[12] Patrick Wintour et al, "David Cameron sat on advice that there was a breach of law in Gaza, officials say”, The Guardian, 3 September 2024.

[13] David Hearst and Imran Mulla, “Exclusive: David Cameron threatened to withdraw UK from ICC over Israel war crimes probe”, Middle East Eye, 9 June 2025.

[14] Julian Borger, “US imposes sanctions on top international criminal court officials”, The Guardian, 2 September 2020; Molly Quell, “Trump’s sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted tribunal’s work”, Associated Press, 15 May 2025.; Andrew Roth et al, “Rubio imposes sanctions on four ICC judges for ‘targeting’ US and Israel”, The Guardian, 5 June 2025.

[15] Patrick Wintour et al, “ICC urged to delay possible war crimes charges against Israel and Hamas”, The Guardian, 29 April 2024.

[16] Jeremy Sharon et al, “Britain challenges ICC’s jurisdiction over Israel, delaying arrest warrant decision”, Times of Israel, 27 June 2024.

[17] Oliver Holmes, “Palestine condemns Boris Johnson for opposing ICC Israel investigation”, The Guardian, 15 April 2021.

[18] Patrick Wintour, “UK rows back on ex-PM’s claim Israel is outside remit of international criminal court”, The Guardian, 14 November 2023.

[19] Justin Cohen, “Boris Johnson: ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate Israel”, Jewish News, 13 April 2021.

[20] John Mcevoy, “Israel Lobby Funded a Quarter of British MPs”, Declassified UK, 5 June 2024; Hamza Yusuf, “We need to talk about the pro–Israel lobby in the UK”, Mondoweiss, 28 April 2024.  

[21] See Rafael Behr, “G7 leaders are paralyzed by their fear of upsetting Donald Trump”, The Guardian, 18 June 2025.