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Britain is suspending around 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel amid a “clear risk” they could be used to breach international humanitarian law relating to the treatment of Palestinian detainees and the supply of aid to Gaza.
Foreign secretary David Lammy told the House of Commons that a review conducted by the UK government could not “arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law” in Gaza, but ministers have a legal duty to review export licences.
He said Israel had a right to defend itself but he said that he was not satisfied with answers after he had raised concerns with the Israeli government.
“Throughout my life I have been a friend of Israel,” he told MPs.
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Rishi Sunak’s government had refused to suspend arms sales to Israel; however, speaking for the Tories today, shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell initially did not oppose the decision when responding in the Commons. A number of Tory MPs privately voiced their disgust at the failure to criticise Lammy.
However, later Mr Mitchell expressed his displeasure at the decision, tweeting: “Announcing an arms embargo on the day when Israel is burying its murdered hostages, and within weeks of British military personnel and arms defending Israel from Iranian attack, is not easy to swallow. Having now looked at Labour’s memorandum, it has all the appearance of something designed to satisfy Labour’s backbenches, while at the same time not offending Israel, an ally in the Middle East. I fear it will fail on both counts.”
Meanwhile, Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick called it “shameful gesture politics to appease the hard left”.
The first MP to speak out against the move in the Commons was the DUP’s Sammy Wilson who said: “The only people who will welcome this decision today are the terrorists in Hamas who murdered six hostages over the weekend.”
But Mr Lammy’s decision also follows Jeremy Corbyn creating the new “independent group” of five MPs who were elected at the expense of Labour on pro-Gaza tickets in what was seen to be a direct threat to Keir Starmer’s government.
The foreign secretary insisted that the decision was based on growing concerns over Israel’s actions since he took office at the general election in July.
Mr Lammy said the criteria states the government will not issue export licences if there is a “clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law”.
He told the House of Commons: “It is with regret that I inform the House today that 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 that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
“I have informed the business and trade secretary and he is therefore today announcing the suspension of around 30 from a total of approximately 350 to Israel, as required under the Export Control Act.
“Israel’s actions in Gaza continue to lead to immense loss of civilian life, widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, and immense suffering.
“In many cases, it’s not impossible to reach a determinative conclusion on allegations regarding Israel’s conduct of facilities, in part because there is insufficient information, either from Israel or other reliable sources to verify such claims.
“Nevertheless, it is the assessment of His Majesty’s Government that Israel could recently do more to ensure life-saving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza, in light of the appalling humanitarian situation.
“And this government is also deeply concerned by credible claims of mistreatment of detainees, which the International Committee of the Red Cross cannot investigate after being denied access to places of detention.
“Both my predecessor and all our major allies have repeatedly and forcefully raised these concerns with the Israeli government. Regrettably, they have not been addressed satisfactorily.”
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said: “This action should have been taken long ago by the previous government, who failed to take any leadership on the matter. Liberal Democrats welcome this announcement as a step forward from the government.”
International groups questioned whether the government had gone far enough.
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, said: “While this decision appears to demonstrate that the UK has finally accepted the very clear and disturbing evidence of Israeli war crimes in Gaza, it’s unfortunately too limited and riddled with loopholes.
“Exempting the F-35 fighter jet programme – essentially giving this programme a blank cheque to continue despite knowing that F-35s are being used extensively in Gaza – is a catastrophically bad decision for the future of arms control and misses a clear obligation to hold Israel accountable for its extensive war crimes and other violations.”
Oxfam GB said: “The government’s suspension of some weapons exports to Israel is welcome recognition of the clear risk that Israel is using UK arms in serious breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. But suspending just 30 licences out of 350, and crucially leaving loopholes for components in F-35 fighter jets that have been dropping 2,000lb bombs on Palestinians for months now, is nowhere near adequate.”
