DayofPal—The UK government is facing growing pressure to expand sanctions against senior Israeli officials, following a cross-party appeal from 71 British MPs and peers.
They call for punitive measures against war criminals Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Yariv Levin over the systematic torture and mistreatment of Palestinian detainees.
In a letter addressed to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, the parliamentarians exposed that the documented abuse of Palestinians in Israeli detention reflects state policy and therefore warrants direct accountability at the highest levels of the Israeli government.
Led by Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, the signatories urged the UK to “help end this impunity” by imposing targeted sanctions on Netanyahu and Levin.
The appeal follows Britain’s earlier decision to sanction Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inflammatory rhetoric and policies affecting Palestinians.
While welcoming those measures, the MPs contend that they have failed to deter further abuses, arguing that conditions have deteriorated amid a climate of near-total impunity.
Central to the letter is a February 2026 report by the United Nations, which concluded that torture had become an entrenched component of Israel’s system of domination over Palestinians.
The report detailed crimes including custodial abuse, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, mass killings, deprivation of basic necessities, and the destruction of civilian livelihoods.
The parliamentarians also referenced Netanyahu’s public support for a military decision to dismiss charges against Israeli soldiers accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee in a case reportedly supported by CCTV evidence.
They argued that such actions reinforce a culture of impunity and undermine confidence in domestic accountability mechanisms.
Further concerns were raised over Israel’s interception of humanitarian flotillas in international waters during April and May 2026, including vessels organised by the Global Sumud Flotilla and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
British nationals were among those detained, with several alleging physical assault, ill-treatment and the use of live fire during their detention. According to the letter, footage of some detainees was later shared publicly by Ben-Gvir, intensifying criticism of Israel’s conduct.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office described reports of detainee mistreatment as “disgraceful” and confirmed that the issue had been raised directly with the Israeli government.
The department reiterated that all detainees must be treated in accordance with international law and that torture or abuse should be subject to independent and thorough investigation.
The Foreign Office also called upon Israel to grant the International Committee of the Red Cross immediate and unrestricted access to all detention facilities, while expressing particular concern over reports that hundreds of Palestinian children continue to be held for extended periods without formal charges.
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