At the ITV debate, the establishment’s complicity in Israel’s genocide was on full display

During the ITV general election debate, host Julie Etchingham was careful to reframe a question on Palestine and Israel’s genocide in Gaza to be about the Hamas 7 October attack.

And in response, both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer showed their disregard for Palestinian people, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

An audience member asked:

I’m worried about the UK’s lack of leadership on the world stage. I want our PM to be strong enough to take a stand even when its hard. So what should happen next to stop these awful scenes we’re seeing in Gaza

Etchingham then rehashed the question:

The question has a wide range to it. But very specifically it is about the Hamas terrorist atrocities of October 7 and then what unfolded after

Covering for Israel’s war crimes

Apparently, Hamas killing around 1,139 Israeli people on 7 October means Israel can commit any war crime it wants in the name of ‘self defence’.

Israel has killed at least 37,077 Palestinian people including over 15,000 children. But in the TV debate, the host reduces that to “what unfolded after”.

Indeed, in Sunak’s answer, he even praised Starmer for endorsing the phrase that is whitewashing what the ICJ calls a ‘plausible’ Israeli genocide against Palestinian people:

I’m pleased actually that Keir Starmer supported alongside me Israel’s right to defend itself

And Starmer blurred the lines of whether “tens of thousands” of deaths were at the hands of Palestinian fighters or Israel.

This tactic of removing the perpetrator from the killing confuses the situation. It makes it seem like both sides are responsible for a similar number of killings.

Similarly, the corporate media including the BBC often takes a similar approach with its reporting. Palestinians simply ‘die’ or ‘starve’, they are not killed or intentionally starved by Israel.

Sunak also said “we’ve led in providing more aid to Gaza”. But the government has frozen funding for the key UN agency responsible for the Palestinian people in Gaza.

That came after Israel made evidence-free allegations that staff working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees were involved in the 7 October attack.

No real action from either leader

Revealingly, neither Sunak nor Starmer support an arms embargo on Israel. That’s despite the ICJ ruling and the ICC seeking arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for war crimes.

Both Sunak and Starmer have refused to commit to enforcing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders if they enter the UK.

It’s clear that the Tory and Labour leadership, as well as the media, are complicit in Israel’s crimes against humanity.

We need to send them a message this election.

Featured image via ITV News – YouTube