Britain Suspends Arms Exports to Israel Over International Law Concerns

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK government has determined that weapons containing British-made components exported to Israel may be used in military operations in the Gaza Strip, posing a serious risk of violating international humanitarian law.

Export Suspension

Lammy informed British Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to officially suspend the validity of 30 arms export licenses to Israel, involving F-16 fighter jets, helicopters, drones, and components of naval systems, as well as military products that assist in striking ground targets.

The UK has issued about 350 arms export licenses to Israel, with the number announced to be suspended being less than one-tenth. The Labour government, which came to power in July, had announced a review of the UK’s arms sales to Israel to ensure compliance with international law.

Assessment and Decision

Lammy stated that the assessment he received allowed him to draw only one conclusion: that there is a clear risk that certain military products exported by the UK to Israel could be used to commit or assist serious violations of international humanitarian law.

He stressed that this decision is not equivalent to an arms embargo but only involves relevant weapons that may be used in a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict and will not have a substantial impact on Israel’s security.

Concerns and Criticisms

Many organizations criticized the British government for not doing enough, as the F-35 fighters are also widely used in the Gaza Strip. Sam Perlow-Freeman, research coordinator of the British non-governmental organization Campaign Against Arms Trade, welcomed the British government’s move but criticized the exemption of Israeli F-35 fighter jet parts.

Symbolic Meaning

According to Bloomberg News, the UK does not directly supply weapons to Israel, and defense companies can only sell military products to Israel with the permission of the British government. The military products sold by the UK to Israel account for less than 1% of the total weapons imported by Israel.

Reuters analyzed information provided by the British government and found that since the new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out in October last year, the total value of products covered by arms export licenses issued by the UK to Israel has plummeted by 95% to the lowest point in 13 years.

International Reaction

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Defense Minister Yoav Galant expressed “disappointment” and “frustration” regarding the British decision. Many foreign media noted that although the UK’s arms sales to Israel are not as large as those of the United States and Germany, the UK’s suspension of arms sales licenses has a certain symbolic significance.

According to data released by the health department of the Gaza Strip, Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians and injured more than 93,000 since the outbreak of the current round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict.