45 MPs and peers including 16 Lib Dem parliamentarians, have signed a letter calling for an official apology from the British Government for its unlawful actions during the British occupation of Palestine (1917–1948).
The move follows a legal petition to the government in September last year, which called on the UK to apologise for its historic role in the dispossession of Palestinians. The petition details evidence of unlawful acts and war crimes committed under British rule and argues that the current situation was, in many ways, “Made in Britain.”
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, one of the letter’s signatories, said:
“During its occupation of Palestine, Britain violated a series of international laws that were binding at the time. The consequences of those actions have profoundly shaped the conflict we witness today, yet successive governments have refused to acknowledge this record or offer a formal apology.”If Britain is serious about promoting peace in Gaza today, it must begin by confronting its historical role, recognising the harm caused, and taking meaningful responsibility for it.”