On 10 December, Sky News shared a video of prime minister Keir Starmer at “an RAF base in Cyprus”. What it failed to mention, however, is that this wasn’t just any old airbase. In reality, it’s RAF Akrotiri, that Tory-Labour governments have used to turn Britain into an active participant in Israel’s genocide in occupied Gaza. You’d think that’d be an important note to add. But no.
RAF Akrotiri: ‘we can’t tell the world what you’re doing here’
RAF Akrotiri is a unique colonial relic on occupied Cypriot territory, and part of the “largest Royal Air Force base outside the United Kingdom”. And as Declassified UK has reported, covert US flights have been leaving from the base throughout Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Dozens of British warplanes, meanwhile, have flown to both Israel and Lebanon. British spy flights and intelligence officers on the ground have also been passing information to Israel. No wonder Starmer told the troops at RAF Akrotiri:
it’s been a really important, busy, busy year.
Declassified co-founder Matt Kennard has insisted that Britain’s actions are those of “a country which is participating” in Israel’s genocide – “a direct participant”. But unfortunately, most people in Britain won’t be aware of this, due to the mainstream media choosing to turn a blind eye to it. Maybe they would claim that’s because, as Starmer said:
some – or quite a bit – of what goes on here can’t necessarily be talked about all the time. Although we’re really proud of what you’re doing, we can’t necessarily tell the world what you’re doing here. …
Although we’re not saying it to the whole world, for reasons that are obvious to you, the whole world is relying on you.
Nonetheless, what he did clarify is that the base’s actions are to make “our allies safe”. And considering that he calls Israel “a very strong ally”, and has been using taxpayers’ money to fly over Gaza in recent months, we can only assume that he’s talking primarily about keeping Israel’s wanted war criminals safe.
'The whole world and everyone back at home is relying on you.'
Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells British troops at an RAF base in Cyprus that he is 'grateful' for their work after a 'busy, busy year'.https://t.co/xItZsH7tea
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/nLbRgExVJK
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 10, 2024
We must not be silent about UK complicity in Israel’s genocide
The government is trying to keep quiet about the actions RAF Akrotiri is participating in. And the complicit corporate media is faithfully playing along. So it’s on all of us to spread the word.
As genocide expert Martin Shaw wrote recently:
Political leaders themselves will avoid talking about genocide, to protect themselves not only from demands to stop it, but also from scrutiny of their complicity – Israel has been helped by RAF surveillance, British-made weapons and parts for its bombers, and diplomatic support, all of which the Starmer Government has continued.
And people like Starmer want to avoid scrutiny because, as UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese has stressed:
the UK is violating its obligations under international law not to aid and assist a state which is committing international wrongdoings.
Britain has an international legal “obligation to prevent” genocide, she has explained, whether it’s already happening or simply at risk of happening. But instead of fulfilling that obligation, the Tory-Labour governments have been actively supporting Israel despite international courts, human rights groups and other experts accusing it of committing genocide.
Kennard has argued that, if the world doesn’t hold British politicians and others to account for their participation in the Gaza genocide, “the law of the jungle” will reign in the world. And it’s on all of us to stop that from happening. So we must continue to call out what politicians have been doing in our name.
Featured image via screengrab
