Palestinians pursuing an apology from the UK over colonial-era war crimes allege that the government must respond following its recent recognition of a Palestinian state.
The petitioners submitted a 400-page legal document to the Foreign Office this month, seeking an official apology and reparations for abuses they experienced under the British Mandate from 1917 to 1948.
The petition, representing 13 families, claims experiences of violence, exile, and oppression during this tumultuous period in history.
Victor Kattan, a spokesperson for the petitioners and an expert in public international law at the University of Nottingham, emphasized the need for the British government to acknowledge its historical actions to foster a better understanding of its past. He voiced his concerns during discussions at the recent UN conference in New York, highlighting that Britain's recognition of Palestinian statehood does not adequately address the historical wrongs committed against Palestinians.
Kattan remarked, Britain denied self-government to the Palestinian community... It empowered a high commissioner to behave like a dictator and Palestinian people bore the brunt. He added, Recognition alone does not deal with all these historic problems which for Palestinians are not history but the living reality to this day.
While the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) did not confirm if the ministers were notified about the petition, reports suggest that Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy intends to review the submission.
The petition details abuses by British forces from murder to collective punishment, asserting that these actions amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Historical accounts detail how these abuses contributed to the suffering of the Arab Palestinian population, exacerbated during events such as the Arab Revolt from 1936 to 1939.
This appeal for accountability builds upon previous acknowledgments and compensations by the UK for colonial-era atrocities, including apologies for the 1948 Batang Kali massacre in Malaya and the settlement regarding the treatment of Kenyans during the Mau Mau uprising.
The recent acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood by the UK, alongside France and other nations, aligns with the recognition from over 150 countries worldwide. While welcomed in Palestine, this move faces disapproval from Israel and the US, who argue it undermines peace negotiations in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
