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Mark Smith, who served at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced his decision in a resignation letter that has brought renewed scrutiny to the UK’s foreign policy.

Smith detailed his growing discomfort with the UK’s arms export practices. In his resignation letter, Smith argued that the government’s claims of maintaining one of the most “robust and transparent” arms export licensing regimes in the world are misleading. He stated that his concerns over potential breaches of international humanitarian law had been dismissed by the department, leaving him with no choice but to step down.

“It is with sadness that I resign after a long career in the diplomatic service, however, I can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in war crimes,” Smith wrote. He further described the ongoing violence in Gaza as clear and unquestionable examples of war crimes, accusing Israel of committing acts that violate international humanitarian law.

Smith’s resignation has sparked significant attention within the FCDO and beyond, with many questioning the ethical implications of the UK’s involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His decision follows a series of internal efforts to address these issues, which, according to Smith, were met with indifference or outright dismissal.