EPAThe UK has suspended some arms gross sales to Israel, saying there’s a “clear risk” the gear may very well be used to commit severe violations of worldwide regulation.
International Secretary David Lammy mentioned the UK could be suspending 30 out of 350 arms export licences to Israel, affecting gear similar to components for fighter jets, helicopters and drones.
An Israeli minister instructed the BBC that the choice despatched the “wrong message” and was “disappointing”, however human rights group Amnesty Worldwide UK referred to as the suspension “too limited”.
Mr Lammy mentioned the UK continued to assist Israel’s proper to defend itself, and this didn’t quantity to an arms embargo.
Chatting with Radio 4, Israel’s minister for diaspora affairs, Amichai Chikli, mentioned the choice had come “at a very sensitive moment” when Israelis have been burying six individuals “murdered in Hamas tunnels”.
“I think we need to combat terrorism together,” he instructed the World Tonight programme. “The fight against Isis [the Islamic State group], and al-Qaeda and Hamas, it’s the same war between the Western civilisation and radical Islam.
“The risk that’s coming from Hamas can also be an interior risk that you’re going through within the streets of the UK.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in response to the decision that Israel operated according to international law.
Writing on social media, the chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said the move “beggars belief” and “feeds the falsehood that Israel is in breach of International Humanitarian Law”.
“Sadly, this announcement will serve to encourage our shared enemies,” he added.
Chief executive of Amnesty International UK, Sacha Deshmukh, criticised the restrictions as “too restricted and riddled with loopholes”.
The non-profit organisation has continuously called for a ceasefire and to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“Today’s decision means that while ministers apparently accept that Israel may be committing war crimes in Gaza, [the government] is nevertheless continuing to risk complicity in war crimes, apartheid – and possible genocide – by Israeli forces in Gaza,” he said.
Western governments have been coming under growing pressure to halt arms sales to Israel over how it is waging the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The foreign secretary said many MPs, lawyers and international organisations had raised concerns about British arms export licensing to Israel.
He immediately sought a review of British arms exports to Israel after the Labour government took office in July, Mr Lammy added.
He said the review did not and “could not arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law” – and this was “not a determination of innocence or guilt”.
However he mentioned the federal government had its personal authorized obligation to assessment all exports licences.
Mr Lammy mentioned: “The assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation on international humanitarian law.”
He said the partial ban covered items “which may very well be used within the present battle in Gaza”.
In a written summary of its decision, the government cited Israel’s approach to Gaza aid and treatment of detainees as key factors in its decision.
It did not explain how the suspended licences would affect these concerns.
But parts made in the UK for the F35 fighters that Israel is using to strike targets in Gaza will not be included in the UK’s ban because the planes are manufactured as part of a global programme.
The decision is more significant politically than militarily – UK arms sales to Israel are small, just 1% of the country’s defence imports.
The US is by far the biggest supplier of arms to Israel, accounting for 69% of its imports of major conventional arms between 2019 and 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
But it is still striking that one of Israel’s closest allies has judged there is a clear risk the country may use some of its arms exports to violate international humanitarian law.
The announcement may come as no surprise to the government of Israel – it has long been flagged – but it will still hurt.
EPAThe discussion about suspending arms sales began under the last Conservative government but it came to a head under the new Labour administration.
Labour said it had not changed its position on supporting Israel’s security, which it describes as “strong” and “unyielding”.
But this marks the third time since Labour took power in July that they have deviated from the previous Tory government’s approach.
Two weeks into government, Labour announced it would resume funding UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees following a review of alleged links between its staff and terror groups.
Days later Labour announced it was dropping plans to challenge the right of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Labour government has called for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, the release of all hostages and an increase in the amount of aid to civilians in Gaza.
Some backbench Labour MPs have been urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to go further and ban British arms sales to Israel completely.
Labour lost a number of former strongholds to independent candidates campaigning on pro-Palestinian platforms in the general election.
Already the government’s critics are saying the suspension has not gone far enough.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said her party would “fastidiously scrutinise” the details of the announcement, “together with these export licences which the federal government has not suspended”.
“We’re involved that the choice is made solely on threat of use in Gaza and never the West Financial institution,” she added.
Green MP Ellie Chowns asked why so many licences were exempt from the suspension.
“I’m very involved that the federal government will not be constantly making use of the precept that there’s a clear threat of UK licensed weapons being utilized in breach of worldwide humanitarian regulation,” she said.
But Conservative MPs – including the shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell – have criticised the decision.
Mr Mitchell said the move had “all the looks of one thing designed to fulfill Labour’s backbenches, whereas on the identical time not offending Israel, an ally within the Center East”.
“I concern it is going to fail on each counts,” he added.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade says that since 2008, the UK has granted arms export licences to Israel worth £574m ($727m) in total.
Analysis by Parliament reveals the worth of licences granted has declined from £42m in 2022 to £18.2m in 2023.
