According to the organisers of the five-page statement, around 600 civil servants have voiced support for the initiative, which has slowly been gathering traction for months through professional networks and word-of-mouth across a range of ministries.

The senior manager described a “climate of fear” within the civil service that the manager had “never experienced anything like in 15 years”. After internal complaints to ministers about supporting Israel’s war crimes dating from back in October, the manager was warned against talking about it. One director of development even advised against discussions via email, and suggested instead to only use phones so as not to leave a paper trail. “It has been hell for all of us,” said the manager, who singlehandedly gathered more than 100 signatures from colleagues and through professional networks.