TEHRAN- On the eve of the new year, people in Britain hit the streets to once again condemn Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip. 

Anti-war and pro-Palestine activists staged a rally in central London on Thursday, coinciding with Boxing Day.

The demonstrators denounced the Israeli war of genocide in Gaza which has claimed the lives of about 45,400 Palestinians since October last year. 

They accused the UK of complicity in the Israeli carnage in Gaza by sending arms to the regime. 

They demanded that Britain stop arms shipments to Israel. 

In July, the Labour Party under Keir Starmer won the general election in a landslide vote. Nonetheless, it lost support from British Muslims who have traditionally been a key support base for the Labour.

They were upset over the party’s stance on the Gaza war.

After Israel declared war on Gaza in October last year, Starmer told LBC radio that Israel had the right to defend itself and the “right” to cut water and power in the enclave (Gaza), in line with “international law”.

Starmer’s comments sparked outrage and later he tried to whitewash his statements. 

Currently, the Labour’s failure to exert pressure on Israel to stop the Gaza war coupled with the ongoing arms sales to the regime indicate that British politicians are effectively endorsing its atrocities in the Palestinian territory. 

Since the start of the Gaza conflict, many countries across the world have seen anti-war protests. People from all walks of life have frequently held rallies in cities across Britain, EU countries, the United States, and beyond calling for an end to Israel’s brutal war on Gaza. 

Previously, United Nations agencies and rights groups have urged Israel to cease its military actions in Gaza.  

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. 

Israel already stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

The ICJ, known as the World Court, found in January that there was a risk of violation of the rights of the Palestinian people to protection from genocide.

It ordered Israel to “take all measures within its power” to desist from killing Palestinians in contravention of the genocide convention, to prevent and punish the incitement of genocide, and to facilitate provision of “urgent basic services”.

Israel has ignored such calls to end its genocidal war in Gaza. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his army to launch war on Gaza after Hamas carried out a surprise military operation in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

More than 1,100 people were killed in the operation dubbed Al-Aqsa Storm and about 250 others were taken captive. 

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue the war until eliminating Hamas and returning all captives. 

But his goals have so far remained elusive.

Netanyahu is currently derailing talks aimed at establishing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. 

The United States’ unwavering support for Israel and the international community’s inability to stop the genocidal war in Gaza have emboldened the Netanyahu regime to prolong the conflict.   

Donald Trump’s election as the next US president has further egged Netanyahu on to press ahead with his army’s barbaric war in Gaza. 

The United States spent a record of nearly $18 billion on military aid to Israel from October 2023 to October 2024. 

The US is by far the biggest supplier of arms to Israel, followed by Germany, Italy and the UK.