London, Sept 3: Britain has announced the immediate suspension of 30 out of its 350 arms export licences to Israel due to concerns that the equipment might be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law. Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that while the suspension does not constitute a blanket ban or arms embargo, it applies specifically to licenses related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized the decision, arguing that it sends a problematic message to Hamas and its backers in Iran. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has intensified, with recent attacks by Hamas killing 1,200 people in Israel, while Israeli military responses in Gaza have resulted in over 40,700 Palestinian deaths, according to local health authorities.
The suspension will impact components for military aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, but parts for the F-35 fighter jets will be exempted to avoid disrupting the global programme. Despite the suspension, British exports represent less than 1% of Israel’s total arms supplies, and the government maintains that the suspension will not significantly affect Israel’s security.
Sam Perlo-Freeman from the Campaign Against Arms Trade welcomed the suspension but criticized the exemption for F-35 parts as unjustifiable. Unlike the US, which recently approved $20 billion in military equipment sales to Israel, the UK does not supply arms directly but issues licenses for companies, guided by legal assessments of international law compliance.
The value of UK arms export permits to Israel has plummeted by over 95% since the conflict began, reaching a 13-year low. The majority of recent licenses have been for non-lethal items or those designated for commercial use.