Red Line Cymru: Wales Must Not Be Complicit

Glenn Page, Amnesty International Cymru

We are witnessing Gaza’s destruction broadcast to the world in real time: families wiped out, civilians targeted, hospitals and infrastructure destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people forced from their homes, starvation used as a weapon of war and militarised aid a deadly trap. These are not accidents - this is genocide.

Last year, Amnesty International published a report that concluded Israel has committed – and is continuing to commit – genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Genocidal acts include killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm and deliberately inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction.

Just last month, the UN Commission of Inquiry declared Israel has committed, and continues to commit, genocide in Gaza. Under the Genocide Convention, all states bear a clear and binding legal obligation to prevent and punish genocide. This solemn duty, enshrined in international law, cannot be dismissed or delayed due to
political convenience.

Yet despite the overwhelming evidence, and the urgent need for effective action, the international community is failing to uphold the international laws designed to prevent war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, thereby failing to hold the Israeli authorities accountable.

The Welsh Government is no exception.

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What are the Welsh Government’s red lines?

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Welsh Government took immediate and decisive action, issuing a Public Procurement Notice to cut ties with companies linked to the Russian invasion. Why hasn’t similar action been taken against Israel.

Both John Swinney, the Scottish FM, and Michelle O’Neil, the Northern Irish FM, have raised concerns that Palestinians in Gaza are facing genocide and have called on the UK Government to end arms exports to Israel.

Why hasn’t Eluned Morgan done the same?

In February, the Scottish Parliament voted for a review of human rights due diligence processes to ensure public money was being used in compliance with international obligations. Following the vote, the Scottish Government announced a review. That same month, the Welsh Parliament – with the support of the Welsh Government no less – voted for a review of public sector procurement and investments. But no review has taken place. Why not?

The First Minister has previously told the Senedd that “no Welsh Government financial support has been provided to companies in Wales who export arms to Israel since the 7 October attacks.”

However, freedom of information requests by Amnesty International revealed over the summer that a £500,000 grant had been awarded by the Welsh Government to a company that manufactures components for F-35 fighter jets, which are still exported to Israel, primarily through the United States, and which are being used in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Following this disclosure, the Welsh Government now says “no Welsh Government export support funding has been provided to Welsh companies to support the direct sale of armaments to Israel since the start of the war on the 7th of October 2023”

Are we to assume then, that the Welsh Government is content for public money to be used to support companies arming Israel, so long as the support isn’t directly for weapons?

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Calls for action

Over the summer, more than a quarter of Senedd members, including Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru MSs, signed a letter to the First Minister calling for urgent action, including:

• Call on the UK Government to implement an arms embargo on Israel
• Implement robust human rights due diligence in all public funding and partnerships.
• Develop a transparent plan to divest Welsh pension funds from companies supplying arms used in the conflict.

These are actions the Welsh Government could choose to take today. Failing to do so undermines international law for everyone.

It isn’t good enough to say that the UK Government is responsible for foreign affairs.

Wales has a voice, and we all have a duty to prevent genocide. Just last month, the Future Generations Commissioner pointed to the Welsh Government’s legal and moral duties, demanding leadership to meet Wales’ global responsibility. The Welsh Government must act now.

Across Wales, thousands of people continue to campaign, protest and make their voices heard loud and clear. In towns and cities, the length and breadth of the country, people are coming together to demand action.

Our voices cannot be ignored.