44 Major Islamic Institutions Urge PM Keir Starmer to Halt Arms Sales to Israel and Recognize Palestine

London (Quds News Network)- Forty-four leading British mosques and Islamic institutions sent an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday. The letter urges the UK government to halt arms sales to Israel and officially recognize the State of Palestine.

The signatories include major institutions such as East London Mosque, Birmingham Central Mosque, Finsbury Park Mosque, and the Islamic Cultural Centre at Regent’s Park.

In the letter, the groups condemned the UK’s failure to stop the ongoing famine and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

“For over eighteen months, we have witnessed harrowing scenes of intolerable human suffering and destruction in Gaza,” the letter states. “It is abundantly clear, that contrary to international humanitarian law, Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war against a defenseless civilian population.”

The groups called for four urgent actions: an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of prisoners, the lifting of the siege on Gaza, and the UK’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine. They also demanded a complete end to UK arms sales to Israel.

The letter warned that the UK’s continued inaction risks undermining its commitment to human rights and international law. It criticized the British government for ignoring Israel’s violations and for providing material support despite widespread calls for accountability.

Thousands of protesters echoed those demands on Friday. Crowds filled Downing Street, chanting against Prime Minister Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. “Starmer, Lammy, you can’t hide. We’ll try you for genocide,” demonstrators shouted.

Protesters also denounced Israel’s refusal to allow aid into Gaza for over 11 weeks. Since March 2, Israel has blocked humanitarian access, pushing 2.4 million Palestinians toward famine. Aid trucks remain stalled at border crossings, while civilians die from hunger and lack of medicine.

The Israeli genocide, backed by the United States, has killed more than 53,800 Palestinians since October 7, 2023—mostly women and children. More than 11,000 remain missing under the rubble. The ongoing genocide has also displaced hundreds of thousands.

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Both face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel is also on trial at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for genocide.