More than 800 lawyers, academics, and judges have called on the British government to impose sanctions on the Israeli occupation government and its ministers, and to suspend its membership in the United Nations in order to fulfill its fundamental international legal obligations.

This came in a letter addressed to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who, along with the leaders of France and Canada, warned last week of taking “concrete steps” against the occupation.

The signatories of the letter stressed the growing evidence of genocide being committed by the occupation against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

They highlighted recent remarks made by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said that “the Israeli army will erase what is left of the Gaza Strip.”

The signatories pointed out to Starmer that “all states, including the United Kingdom, are legally obliged to take all reasonable steps within their power to prevent and punish genocide.”