UK government put on notice: potential international law breach if controversial Rosebank oil field is approved

The UK government is set to make its final decision on the future of the controversial Rosebank oil field, situated off the coast of Shetland. The project was overturned by the Scottish courts last year on climate grounds and has long faced opposition in the UK.

The argument against Rosebank, however, is not just environmental. The project could send over £200 million towards Israel’s Delek Group if reapproved. 

Delek has been flagged by the UN for links to human rights violations in Occupied Palestinian Territory through its operations in the West Bank, and provides fuel to the Israeli military through its subsidiary, Delek Israel. Rosebank’s minority owner - Ithaca Energy - is majority owned by Delek Group.

Since its initial approval, the field has faced mounting criticism for its links to Delek in both Norway and the UK, with campaigners, politicians and Scotland’s former First Minister Humza Yousaf, speaking out about the risks associated with North Sea profits flowing towards Delek.

With a decision on Rosebank due imminently, the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign has put the UK government on urgent notice of a number of legal risks if Rosebank is given the green light, identifying potential breaches of the UK government’s obligations under international humanitarian law.

The UK Government has been a given a deadline of 13 February to respond to SPSC with a timetable for a comprehensive assessment of the risks associated with a decision on Rosebank, including:

• The risk of violations of Common Article 1 and Articles 49 and 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention
• Exposure under section 1 of the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 and section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001
• The risk that profits generated by Ithaca/Delek constitute criminal property under Part 7 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the consequent need for safeguards, reporting and, if appropriate, restraint
• The risk of failure to meet the obligation to prevent genocide under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention
• The application of Articles 16 and 41 of the Articles on State Responsibility.

Follow the latest, including calls to action, on Stop Rosebank here.