A UK advocacy group for Israel has drawn criticism for suggesting that food shortages in Gaza could reduce obesity rates and potentially increase life expectancy, amid mass famine in the territory.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), whose patrons include former supreme court judge John Dyson, former Conservative leader Michael Howard and prominent lawyer David Pannick KC, made the comments in correspondence objecting to a motion at the Co-operative Group’s annual general meeting.
Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UKLFI, wrote to the Co-operative Group secretary urging withdrawal of a motion regarding Israeli produce sales. Turner disputed the motion’s reference to an estimated 186,000 death toll, calling it “totally false and misleading” as the figure came from a Lancet letter projecting indirect casualties.
Turner added that the Lancet letter “ignored factors that may increase average life expectancy in Gaza, bearing in mind that one of the biggest health issues in Gaza prior to the current war was obesity.”
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) described the remarks as “utterly sickening.” Ben Jamal, PSC director, said: “The suggestion by the head of UK Lawyers for Israel that they might benefit from weight loss is utterly sickening. These repulsive comments illustrate exactly what it means to be ‘for Israel’.”
Gaza’s health authority reports more than 52,000 deaths since Israel began its military campaign following Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023. A separate Lancet study found life expectancy in Gaza decreased by 34.9 years during the conflict’s first 12 months.
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, called the comments “atrocious views” and sarcastically remarked on X: “How very kind of Israel to put 2.3 million Palestinians on an enforced diet to improve their obesity levels.”
Turner defended his statements, saying: “We pointed out that this claim was based on entirely unfounded speculation, which also ignored factors that might result in lengthening the lives of Gazans, given the public health situation existing in Gaza prior to the war, including the extent of obesity. These factors include the possible reduction in the availability of confectionery and cigarettes.”
He added: “In the context in which they were made, our statements were accurate and objective.”
UKLFI previously campaigned for the removal of Palestinian children’s artwork from a London hospital and has threatened legal action against the UK government over suspended arms export licences to Israel.
(Source: The Guardian)
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