Full resignation letter from Foreign, Commonwealth
& Development Office British diplomat Mark Smith:
FCDO complicity in War Crimes
I write to you on my last day in the FCDO with a message I
never wanted to send.
It is with sadness that I resign after a long career in the
diplomatic service, however I can no longer carry out my
duties in the knowledge that this Department may be
complicit in War Crimes.
As former penholder on the arms exports licensing
assessment in MENAD, I am a subject matter expert in the
domain of armed sales policy. Each day we witness clear
and unquestionable examples of War Crimes and breaches
of International Humanitarian Law in Gaza perpetrated by the
State of Israel.
Senior members of the Israeli government and military have
expressed open genocidal intent, Israeli soldiers take videos,
deliberately burning destroying, and looting civilian property
and openly admit to the rape and torture of prisoners.
Over half of Gaza's homes and over 80% of commercial
properties have been damaged or destroyed. Whole streets
and universities have been demolished, humanitarian aid is
being blocked and civilians are regularly left with no safe
quarter to flee to. Red Crescent ambulances have been
attacked, schools and hospitals are regularly targeted. These
are War Crimes.