The UK Government does not believe Israel's actions in the Gaza strip constitute genocide, a letter from the Foreign Office has said.
Previously, the Labour Government said it was a question for the courts - not a national government - if Israel had committed a genocide.
But, last week, a letter to the international development committee from the then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy showed a shift in position.
In the correspondence, seen by The Times, Mr Lammy said an assessment conducted by the Foreign Office found Israel's actions in Palestine were not genocide.
The letter, which was sent ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet reshuffle following Angela Rayner's resignation, said: 'As per the Genocide Convention, the crime of genocide occurs only where there is specific "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group".
