London, England – A significant coalition of business leaders from the UK—including a former advisor to the monarchy and a sustainability consultant with Holocaust roots—are urging the government to take decisive measures against Israel amid the escalating crisis in Gaza.
As of Thursday morning, 762 individuals have signed a letter demanding that the UK halt all arms sales to Israel, impose sanctions on those implicated in contraventions of international law—including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is subject to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. The letter also calls for investment in mechanisms to prevent the UK from financing companies deemed “complicit” and for the enforcement of UN principles regarding business and human rights within the UK’s economic frameworks.
“We view this as not just a moral obligation, but also a professional duty to ensure long-term societal and economic stability,” the letter states. “The UK must guarantee that no business, through its products, services, or supply chains, is facilitating these atrocities, directly or indirectly.”
Signatories include notable figures such as former royal advisor Jonathon Porritt CBE, sustainability expert Adam Garfunkel, Frieda Gormley, founder of the luxury design brand House of Hackney, former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, and Geetie Singh-Watson MBE, a pioneer in organic food entrepreneurship, alongside various other professionals who have received MBE honors.
They have committed to collaborating with the UK government on a continuous process of introspection and action, focusing on reviewing their operations, supply chains, financial dealings, and influence to promote peace, uphold human rights, and enhance adherence to international law.
“Business cannot flourish in societies that are in disarray,” Polman remarked. “Now is the time for business leaders to demonstrate courage, speak out, and leverage our influence to uphold international law.”
The number of professionals endorsing the letter is rising as the situation in Gaza deepens, with humanitarian crises intensifying amidst fears of an Israeli invasion of Gaza City and widespread famine due to the ongoing blockade.
“As businesses, we must justify our existence and acknowledge that all individuals deserve fair treatment,” Garfunkel explained to Al Jazeera. “My family experienced the Holocaust firsthand; my father managed to escape to the UK, while my great-grandparents were tragically murdered. This history fuels my conviction that everyone deserves human rights and that persecution based on ethnicity is never acceptable, anywhere.”
The current conflict between Israel and Gaza, condemned as genocide by prominent human rights organizations, has resulted in over 60,000 deaths in the 22 months since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an offensive that claimed about 1,200 lives and took 250 hostages—characterized as “grave crimes under international law” in the letter.
“Nonetheless, the ongoing military actions by the Israeli government represent a relentless and unjustifiable attack on civilians, violating both ethical standards and fundamental principles of the Geneva Conventions,” it added.
Porritt, who provided environmental counsel to King Charles for three decades, stated that the letter reflects the imperative role of businesses in society during this critical juncture.
“Recent months have made it unmistakably clear that the current situation is utterly intolerable, constituting a genocide against the people of Gaza,” he shared with Al Jazeera.
Businesses have a responsibility to support the promotion and preservation of human rights in the countries where they operate, he emphasized. “This underlines why it is imperative for business leaders to engage at this crucial moment.”
Porritt has recently been in the spotlight for his support of Palestine Action, a protest movement labeled a terrorist group by the UK government just weeks ago. He was among over 500 demonstrators arrested at a rally in London on August 9, where he was seen holding a banner that read, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” His bail hearing is scheduled for late October.