Lammy: ‘there are no journalists in Gaza’

BRITISH FOREIGN Secretary David Lammy, in front of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons on 27 November, attempted to deflect a question regarding the arrest warrant for the Israeli and Hamas leaders, said “there are no journalists in Gaza” and rambled about “widespread looting”.

David Lammy

David Lammy addresses the Select Committee

Image © of video under Parliamentary copyright

Lammy was asked about the arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court, which was established by the Statute of Rome. He responded: “well, on the basis of what you’ve just said to me, um... um... um... there are two things that I’m holding at the same time – one is our obligations under the Statute of Rome and our powerful belief both in the rule of law and international humanitarian law... there is an obligation on me to transmit to the courts... should those named seek to come into our country... then the courts will make their determination... as I said there is now widespread looting, um, there are no journalists in Gaza, there are no politicians like me able to go to Gaza so I’m unable to verify um who is behind the looting...”

As journalists we must demand Lammy formally retract this statement that “there are no journalists in Gaza” and correct the record. Gaza is the deadliest conflict for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists started collecting data.

Lammy must urge Israel to allow foreign journalists to enter Gaza, as those working for major international outlets have demanded.

Lammy must cease his attempts to distract us from his legal duty, which is to arrest war criminals, using spurious mention of looting in a land reduced to rubble.

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