‘Is the UK compliant with the recent International Courts’ decisions and orders on Israel and Palestine?’ by James Henderson, Breshna Rani and Goya Verity
In the current political climate, at both national and international levels around the world, there has been a wave of non-compliance and rejection of international law and decisions, undermining the work of the ICC and ICJ and eroding the international legal system. Despite these challenges, both courts are continuing to attempt to fulfill their mandates, including on polarising subjects such as the Israel/Palestine conflict. With the recognition of a potential genocide in Gaza as well as a key decision on the illegality of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory from the ICJ, as well as issuance of arrest warrants from the ICC towards Israelis and Palestinians, there is a pressing need to remind politicians and decision makers of the importance of complance in an increasingly unstable and polarised world.
This project aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of Britain’s obligations arising from the recent ICC arrest warrants and ICJ court orders related to the Israel/Palestine conflict. Given there have been major court orders from both of the main international courts this past year, it is important to consider what Britain, as a member of the international community and an advocate for international relations being based on the rule of law, must do to comply with obligations arising as a third state party to these decisions.
‘Navigating Responsibility: UK Legal and Humanitarian Obligations towards UNRWA in the Context of Geopolitical Tensions’ by James Henderson, Breshna Rani and Goya Verity
UNRWA has been under political attack from Israel, who have passed a bill intending to block the operation of UNRWA within the occupied Palestinian territory, which threatens to harm Palestinians that rely upon UNRWA and further destabilize the region. The sustainability of UNWRA’s operations is thus challenged, and in response to unsubstantiated allegations by Israel, the UK’s political and economic support to UNRWA has become more scarce and complex.
This project aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of UNRWA’s critical role in supporting Palestinian refugees, with a specific focus on examining the UK’s financial contributions, official statements, and potential future engagement with the organisation. In light of the recent decision by the Israeli Knesset to block UNRWA’s operations within Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, the research will critically assess the strategic implications on humanitarian support, regional stability, and British interests within the region.
The project seeks to offer evidence-based conclusions on the multifaceted impact of the UK’s ongoing support for UNRWA, exploring the political, humanitarian, and geopolitical dimensions of this complex issue. By examining the operational challenges, funding trends, and potential policy responses, we will provide a nuanced understanding of UNRWA’s current situation and the UK’s strategic considerations in the region.
‘Partners for Peace Initiative: Who is Marwan Barghouti?’ by Jonah German, Jack Maguire and Bobby Woodcock
This project aims to encourage the British government to promote viable partners for peace in Israel-Palestine. Our release of Gandhi and Nehru during Indian decolonization, and our advocacy for Mandela’s release (albeit behind-the-scenes until the nineties), demonstrate that pragmatism, conflict resolution, and respect for the right to national self-determination are British values. We want Britain to continue adhering to these values today. To do so, we believe, the British government must advocate the release of Marwan Barghouti, a moderate consensus figure who could unify the Palestinian people and negotiate a just and sustainable resolution to the Israel-Palestine Conflict.
Our project will provide support to an existing global campaign, which, for the purposes of this text, will be referred to as the Free Marwan Campaign. This campaign is well funded and resourced, has a clear and compelling strategy, and is led by a core team of specialists, including James Sadri, Anna Nolan, Gabrielle Rifkind, Georgia and Sophia Scott, and Marwan’s son, Arab. Our job will be to take the campaign’s message to two key audiences identified by the core team: “near Palestinians” (expert Palestine activists who still seem largely unaware of Marwan), and parliamentarians. We will organize at least three screenings on British university campuses of the biographical film Tomorrow’s Freedom by Georgia and Sophia Scott, which tells the story of Marwan and his fellow prisoners. We plan for at least one of these screenings to be accompanied by an in-person Q&A with Arab Barghouti. We will also seek meetings with and write letters to British parliamentarians, encouraging them to take steps to effect Marwan’s release. Lastly, we will write an article, intended for publication in a British university newspaper, inquiring as to why Marwan hasn’t yet been released, how his name and legacy have been so effectively effaced, and what lessons we can derive from historical parallels, such as the protracted imprisonment of Mandela. Throughout our project, we will be liaising with university associations, the core team of the Marwan campaign, and our contacts in Parliament, to ensure our objectives are attained.
‘Silenced Stories and Defiant Expression’ by James Porter and Marie Vandermeulen
Within the arts industry in the UK, pro-Palestinian artists and other creatives seeking to explore the Israel/Palestine conflict face huge challenges in having their work seen by the public. Institutions that they rely on to host their work often deny them a platform, limit their expression or cancel events last minute. Whether the result of pressure from external political organisations or general discomfort from the institutions themselves, our project seeks to identify how and why art relating to this conflict comes to be silenced and how this marginalisation can be overcome.
Through a London event hosting Palestinian art and artists, we will promote the voices of creatives that have been marginalised and silenced by the arts industry in the UK. We aim to support a cultural landscape in the UK that facilitates freedom of thought and expression, preventing cultural erasure through a focus on the heritage and cultural identity displayed in artistic production. In targeting people in the arts industry, journalists and students we aim to demonstrate the ability for a broad and diverse cultural landscape to demonstrate a more nuanced and informed perception of Palestinian culture and the ongoing conflict.
Through a campaign to promote our event, using social media, news coverage and writing articles ourselves, we hope that we will be able to drive public attention towards our event. In order to deliver the event our strategies include monitoring instances of censorship recently experienced in the UK, compiling a portfolio of artists and creatives to exhibit, while identifying sources of censorship whether institutional or political. We expect our results to be measured through the extent of public engagement and media coverage.
‘UK V International Law: Who’s Keeping Score?’ by Anna Balfour and Catherine Maunder
Many UK citizens will expect their government to comply with international treaties on behalf of the UK, but do not recognise what international laws the UK is tied to, and how politicians are avoiding them. This project seeks to expose UK politicians’ avoidance of International Law on the topic of Israel/Palestine, through analysing the language used in various public outlets, and investigate their avoidance of direct, actionable accountability to comply with International Law.
‘Restoration of Heritage Sites in Gaza’ by Sabah Ali and Bobby Woodcock
This project aims to address the issue of the destruction of cultural and heritage sites in Gaza. Since 7 October 2023, there have been countless homes and lives destroyed as a result of Israel’s indiscriminate ongoing bombardment of Gaza and the West Bank. Our project sheds light specifically on the destruction of communal spaces, learning centres and culturally significant sites, which should be protected as “cultural heritage of all humanity”. UNESCO has verified damage to 75 sites in Gaza since 7 October. We aim to raise awareness of the destruction of such significant sites, such as ‘Al Omari Mosque’, ‘Asser El Saqqah House’, ‘Church of Saint Porphyrius,’ and ‘Al Qarara Cultural Museum’ and call for their restoration.
We will aim to raise this issue with the British government, and potentially also with other organisations working in the field of cultural and heritage restoration, in the hope that the government takes a stand against cultural destruction and calls for restoration. We will remind the government of its own historical involvement in the destruction of sites in Gaza, such as the al-Omari Mosque during WW2, and the universal duty to preserve cultural heritage. Alongside the many international laws Israel has violated in this bombardment, we aim to draw attention to the 1954 Hague Convention on the ‘Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict’ and the 2003 Convention for the ‘Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage’. We want the British government to make a stand against the destruction of a people’s history and culture, in recognition of international law and universal humanity. We aim to produce a report which describes the sites, their significance and their destruction and reminds the government of its responsibility as an international member of the UN. We will target specific parliamentarians who we believe can produce a response.
We will also produce an educational visual resource/tool, in the form of an article or a report, which will detail the rich historical significance of the sites listed above. We will describe the purpose the sites have held for the local and wider communities of Gaza. This will be of educational value and work towards the preservation of the history of an area which has been devastated. We are working with Queen Mary for educational assistance and are aware of institutions such as Arcadia Fund which provides funding to preserve endangered cultural heritage across the world. Our educational resource will also include media, photos, video and maps. The resource is specifically aimed to educate our readers on the history of cultural and heritage sites and will be available for future readers.