#uk-foreign-policy

#uk-foreign-policy

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

Its conclusion is unsurprising, with few states in history having been so brazen about their intentions. To take just two examples: in May, the Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said that Gaza will be entirely destroyed; a week later, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted that Israel is destroying more and more houses [in Gaza, and Palestinians accordingly] have nowhere to return.

Britain is not just complicit in Israel's breaches of humanitarian law in Gaza but a participant that has repeatedly ignored its legal obligation to prevent a genocide, witnesses have told the independent Gaza tribunal. The two-day tribunal in London, which is independent of government and parliament, is seeking to amass evidence of Britain's failure to distance itself from what the tribunal organisers regard as Israeli war crimes amounting to genocide.

Sir Keir Starmer has a notable contrast between public remarks and private views regarding a Ukrainian peace process, emphasizing support for Zelensky and condemnation of Putin.

An adviser suggested that the UK would have been better off avoiding involvement in the Second World War and that Britain should not support Ukraine against Russia.

Starmer made the wrong call and Britain has paid a heavy price ever since. The cost to national dignity and the public purse will be on painful show this weekend as Trump, pursued by the Epstein scandal and angry protesters, makes an expensively policed, ostensibly private visit to his golf courses in Scotland.

The UK's foreign secretary expressed horror at the targeting of starving Palestinians by the Israeli military, highlighting the need for humanitarian aid and potential sanctions.

Keir Starmer recently expressed optimism about U.S. non-involvement in conflicts, believing that efforts for de-escalation were effective, but events rapidly shifted with a significant U.S. strike.

Lammy emphasized that the key focus was on military targets and indicated that Western allies were awaiting assessments of the strikes' impact on Iran's nuclear capabilities.