Foreign Office Withholds Genocide Risk Assessment on Israel

The Foreign Office has not released an internal assessment from June of last year that reportedly concluded no serious risk of genocide existed in Gaza due to Israeli actions. Officials also declined to disclose whether an updated assessment regarding the risk of genocide has been conducted.

Amnesty International submitted a freedom of information request in June 2024 for the assessment. After officials failed to respond within the legal one-month timeframe, Amnesty filed a formal complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office. The request also inquired about any updated government evaluation of Israel’s adherence to international law, specifically a re-evaluation of the genocide risk.

While an increasing number of legal experts and two Israeli NGOs recently stated Israel demonstrates genocidal intent in Gaza, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has not yet made a determination on the matter. On Friday, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey labeled Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza City and displace palestinians as ethnic cleansing.

Ministers face accusations of inconsistency, asserting in parliament that only international courts can validate genocide assessments, while simultaneously informing domestic courts – in a case brought by Al Haq – that Foreign Office officials examined Israel’s actions for a serious risk of genocide and concluded no such risk existed.

The government revealed excerpts from the assessment in court witness statements, but Amnesty seeks access to the complete document.

According to a document sent to ministers, officials stated: “No evidence has been seen that Israel is deliberately targeting civilian women or children. There is also evidence of Israel making efforts to limit incidental harm to civilians.”

The assessment further notes: “There is no evidence of a high-level strategic decision, passed down through military chains of command, like that which was in evidence for the massacre and deportations at Srebrenica that were found in the bosnian genocide case to constitute genocide (the ICJ’s only finding of genocide to date).”

Some of the assessment’s foundations appear outdated,given the assessment was made over a year ago.The Foreign Office previously found no