A group of Palestinian-British individuals has taken initial steps to bring British Petroleum (BP) to court, accusing the company of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The action led by Bimdman's LLP asserts BP's complicity through the continuous supply of crude oil to Israel, facilitated by the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline, amid ongoing military operations in Gaza since October 2023. The claimants, backed by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), aim to hold BP responsible for their suffering and press for the company's immediate cessation of activities they say expedite the conflict.

A detailed 36-page "Letter Before Claim" was sent to BP on Dec. 19, outlining allegations against BP p.l.c. and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Company (BTC Co). The claimants accuse BP of breaching international human rights commitments by supplying Israel with oil that supports its military activities.

The claim notes BP's essential role in oil transportation to Israel via the BTC Pipeline, majority-owned and operated by the company. Since the escalation of conflict in October 2023, over 45,000 deaths have been reported in Gaza, alongside severe destruction of civilian infrastructure and disruption of essential services.

The claimants argue that BP's actions contravene international law principles, including, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the prohibition on complicity in war crimes under customary international law, and BP's own Human Rights Policy.

Further reinforcing the claim, International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings in 2024 acknowledged a "real and imminent risk" of genocide in Gaza. 

The lead claimants have suffered grave personal losses due to the conflict. These include:

– A British citizen of Palestinian origin who lost 16 family members to air-strikes, with surviving relatives experiencing severe humanitarian distress in Gaza.
– Another claimant who has faced family fatalities and displacements, compounded by inadequate access to medical care and essentials.

Other participants in the case report enduring serious physical and psychological trauma.

Tayab Ali, head of international law at Bindmans LLP, emphasized the necessity for corporate accountability, stating: "This legal action marks a new phase in accountability for those complicit in alleged war crimes. The evidence suggests BP’s failures to adhere to its human rights policies have significantly contributed to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza."

From JURIST, Dec. 25. Used with permission.

See our last reports on genocide accusations against Israel, and the ICJ case.