Foreign policy, military experts call on UK foreign secretary to support Gaza cease-fire at UN vote

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - A group of foreign policy and military experts on Tuesday called on UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron to support an immediate Gaza cease-fire at the upcoming UN Security Council.

In a joint letter, experts, including Richard Richards, a former head of the UK Armed Forces, said that it is in the interest of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians for the current hostilities to de-escalate, to let aid in and hostages safely release, and pave the way for a negotiated solution.

"The longer violence goes on, the harder it will be to reduce tensions between Palestinians and Israeli communities," said the letter, published by policy expert H.A. Hellyer, who is among the signatories.

Highlighting the UK's "slight positive change in tone late last week," the letter said that Britain's continued rejection of an immediate cease-fire is "strategically ill-advised and morally indefensible."

"The UK does not have to follow America’s lead - particularly when US public and diplomatic opinion is far from unified," it added.

Recalling the recent voting at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) where 153 countries supported an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, the letter said that these votes left the US and the UK “increasingly isolated" and at risk of becoming "complicit in breaching of international law" in Gaza.

Last week, the UK abstained while the US voted against the non-binding UN General Assembly resolution that demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.

"We implore the UK once again work with all other members of the UN Security Council to ensure a renewed resolution for an immediate ceasefire is brought forward, and then to vote in favor of it," it added.