The United Kingdom announced on Monday that it was suspending around thirty arms export licenses to Israel out of a total of 350, citing a “risk” that these weapons would be used in violation of international law in Gaza.
“Clear risk” of violation of the law
“For some arms exports to Israel, there is a clear risk that they would be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the British Parliament. The suspended licenses include equipment “that could be used in the current conflict” in Gaza, the head of diplomacy specified. “This is not a general ban. It is not an embargo,” he insisted, adding in particular that this did not concern elements of the F-35 fighter jet.
New UK Foreign Secretary Backs ‘Immediate Ceasefire’
The move comes after a review of arms export licenses to Israel that the British foreign minister called for shortly after taking office in early July.
British Position Not Steadfast
Reaffirming his support for Israel’s right to defend itself, David Lammy said the suspension was “not a statement of innocence or guilt” and that the British government’s position was not set in stone. “We have not and will not be able to make a judgment on whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law,” he said, adding that the UK “is not an international court”.
The Israeli defence minister said he was “disappointed”, in a message posted on X. “This comes at a time when we are fighting on seven different fronts – a war driven by a savage terrorist attack,” he wrote.
Since coming to power in early July, the British Labour government of Keir Starmer (centre-left) has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the conflict between Hamas and Israel, triggered on 7 October by the unprecedented attack by the Islamist group in southern Israel. Last week, the head of diplomacy said he was “deeply” concerned by the Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
This article is originally published on ledauphine.com
