**British Foreign Office Official Resigns in Protest Over Israel Arms Sales, Citing Potential Complicity in War Crimes**
Mark Smith, a British Foreign Office official specializing in counter-terrorism, has resigned in protest against the UK's arms sales to Israel, alleging that the government "may be complicit in war crimes." In a letter to colleagues on Friday, Smith revealed that he had raised his concerns "at every level" within the Foreign Office, including through official whistleblowing channels, but received only basic acknowledgments in response. Smith, who was stationed at the British Embassy in Dublin, expressed his frustration with the lack of action. The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) declined to comment on individual cases but reiterated the government's commitment to upholding international law.
**Resignation Email Seen by BBC And Others Reveals Broad Government Discontent Over Israel Arms Sales**
Mark Smith's resignation email, obtained by the BBC, was sent to a wide range of recipients, including hundreds of government officials, embassy staff, and special advisers to Foreign Office ministers. In his email, Smith, who previously worked on Middle East arms export licensing, detailed his growing concerns about the UK’s arms sales to Israel. He stated that colleagues “each day” witnessed “clear and unquestionable examples” of war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law by Israel in Gaza.
Smith described how senior members of the Israeli government and military have openly expressed genocidal intent, while Israeli soldiers have been seen in videos deliberately burning, destroying, and looting civilian property. He highlighted the destruction of entire streets and universities, the blocking of humanitarian aid, and the lack of safe refuge for civilians. He also pointed to attacks on Red Crescent ambulances, as well as the regular targeting of schools and hospitals, calling these actions "War Crimes."
Smith argued that there was "no justification for the UK's continued arms sales to Israel." The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) responded by stating that Foreign Secretary David Lammy had initiated a review "on day one in office" to assess whether Israel was complying with international humanitarian law.
While there has been significant dissent among officials in the UK, Europe, and the US regarding their governments' policies toward Israel during the Gaza conflict, cases of principled resignations remain rare, making Smith's resignation an unusual and notable event within the British government.
**Details of Mark Smith's Resignation Emerge Following Social Media Leak**
The details of Mark Smith's resignation first surfaced when journalist Hind Hassan shared a copy of his resignation email on the social media platform X on Friday. In his email, Smith identified his role as "Second Secretary Counter Terrorism," a relatively junior position, though he described himself as “a subject matter expert in the domain of arms sales policy” after a lengthy career in the diplomatic service.
Smith’s email criticized the UK’s arms export licensing regime, stating, "Ministers claim that the UK has one of the most ‘robust and transparent’ arms export licensing regimes in the world, however this is the opposite of the truth." He expressed deep concern about being disregarded as "a fully cleared officer raising serious concerns of illegality," emphasizing his duty as a public servant to bring these issues to light.
A source close to Smith mentioned that his email was intended for internal government recipients and that he did not resign publicly. However, following the public revelation of his resignation, Smith issued a statement urging the government to "listen to the concerns" of civil servants. He highlighted his role as the lead author of the central assessment on the legality of UK arms sales in the Middle East and North Africa Directorate, where he was responsible for assessing the impact of these sales on civilian casualties and compliance with international law.
Smith argued that the UK’s arms exports should only proceed if the recipient nation has robust procedures to minimize harm to civilians, something he believes Israel has failed to demonstrate. He confirmed that he had written to the Foreign Secretary to inform him of his resignation and to urge an urgent review of the UK's approach to the situation in Gaza, hoping that the concerns of civil servants would be taken seriously.
Since 2008, the UK has granted licenses for weapons exports to Israel worth £574 million ($727 million), according to the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT). Despite the government downplaying the scale of these exports, calling them "relatively small" at £42 million ($53 million) in 2022, the issue remains contentious.
Israel has consistently denied breaching international humanitarian law in Gaza. Responding to previous dissent from Western officials over policy and arms supply, the Israeli government has defended its actions as part of a campaign against Hamas, which it describes as “a genocidal terrorist organization which commits war crimes as well as crimes against humanity."
In May, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and defense minister, as well as for Hamas leaders, for war crimes, though these have yet to be issued.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) reiterated the UK government's commitment to upholding international law, stating, "We have made clear that we will not export items if they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law." The spokesperson also noted that an ongoing review, initiated by the Foreign Secretary on his first day in office, is assessing whether Israel is complying with international humanitarian law, with an update to be provided upon completion.
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