David Lammy has said he “could have been clearer” in his comments about Israel blocking aid to Gaza and if the action broke international law.
Answering questions in the Commons on Monday, Lammy twice stated Israel’s 16-day blockade preventing humanitarian supplies into Gaza was a “breach” of international law.
This led to the prime minister’s official spokesperson reconfirming that the government’s position is Israel was “at risk” of breaching humanitarian law.
Lammy told Bloomberg it was a “matter for the court” to decide if international law had been broken.
Asked if he regretted his statement, Lammy said it was “difficult to see how denying humanitarian assistance to a civilian population can be compatible with international humanitarian law”.
The row over his comments came as Israel launched its biggest wave of air strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire began.
The Hamas-run health ministry said over 400 people had been killed, with Benjamin Netanyahu warning it was “just the beginning”.
Since 2 March, Israel has stopped all food, fuel and medicine entering Gaza in an attempt to force Hamas into offering new concessions.
Asked about the aid blockade by Labour MP Dr Rupa Huq, Lammy said on Monday: “This is a breach of international law. Israel quite rightly must defend its own security. But we find the lack of aid – it’s now been 15 days since aid got into Gaza -unacceptable, hugely alarming and very worrying.
“We urge Israel to get back to the number of trucks we were seeing going in – way beyond 600 – so that Palestinians can get the necessary humanitarian support they need at this time.”
Lammy told MPs he was “a little jetlagged” having returned to the UK from a G7 meeting in the US only hours before his Commons appearance.
Later in the same debate, ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pressed Lammy to call Israel’s aid blockade and bombing of the Gaza Strip a breach of international law.
Lammy said: “I did say in my contribution that Israel is in breach of international humanitarian law.
“The decision that I made back in September to suspend arms sales, which was largely because of that breach.”
He was referring to the government freezing 30 arms export licenses to Israel after a review ordered by Lammy found a “clear risk” they could be used in violations of international humanitarian law.
Asked about Monday’s comments that appeared to go further, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “Our position remains that Israel’s actions in Gaza are at clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law, and we continue to call the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations.”
They added: “The government is not an international court, and, therefore, it is up to courts to make judgments.”
Asked whether the foreign secretary had mistakenly gone beyond official government policy, the spokesperson said: “I’d refer to the Foreign Office on that, but there’s no change in policy here.”
Asked whether Lammy should apologise, they added: “I’ll leave that to the Foreign Office.”
The BBC has approached Lammy for comment.
