ALBAWABA - A British Embassy in Dublin diplomat named Mark Smith resigned in protest at the UK's continued military sales to Israel. Smith accused the British Foreign Office of involvement in war crimes in his resignation letter, which was posted on X (previously Twitter).
Smith, who was once employed by the Foreign Office in the division in charge of granting permits for the transfer of weapons to the Middle East and North Africa, regretted his choice deeply but said he could no longer work for a company he felt was complicit in war crimes. He presented proof of Israel's ongoing war crimes and transgressions of international humanitarian law in Gaza, including the devastation of civilian infrastructure and obstacles to humanitarian relief.
In his letter, Smith denounced as war crimes the bombing of Gaza's hospitals, schools, and Red Cross ambulances, and he censured the Foreign Office for dismissing his worries over the arms shipments. Additionally, he questioned the purported openness of the UK's licensing system for the transfer of armaments and said that the ministry had disregarded his comments without giving them any thought.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, has endorsed Smith's resignation and expressed the hope that more diplomats will take the same courageous stand and denounce those who support Israeli policies.
According to the BBC, Smith has resigned, and the Foreign Office has not yet responded to inquiries about the matter. Reporters from the BBC saw Smith's resignation email, which was signed by the title "Second Secretary, Counter-Terrorism."
