Foreign Secretary David Lammy has announced that the UK will not impose an arms embargo on Israel which is committing genocidal massacres of Palestinians.
But in the face of increasing international condemnation of Israel’s actions, Lammy told Parliament yesterday that the UK would restrict the export of 30 arms licences which could be used to breach humanitarian law in Gaza.
Lammy, who described himself as a liberal Zionist, said that the decision comes following a review of export licenses for UK arms which found there was a “clear risk” that they would be used in a way that could breach international law.
The 30 licenses include components for military aircraft, helicopters, drones, and items which facilitate ground targeting.
However, the Foreign Office said several export licenses that have been assessed are not for military use in the current Gaza conflict and “therefore do not require suspension.”
“Facing a conflict such as this, it is this government’s legal duty to review Britain’s export licenses,” said Lammy.
Around 30 of 350 licenses will be suspended, he noted, however adding: “This is not a blanket ban, this is not an arms embargo.”
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In June, the Department for Business and Trade said the UK has issued 108 arms export licenses to Israel since October 7 while over 300 licenses were still active, according to the data prior to Monday’s decision.
Lammy further told lawmakers that after raising his concerns while in opposition, he immediately launched a review upon taking office and “committed to sharing the review’s conclusions.”
“We have rigorously followed every stage of the process which the previous Conservative government established, and let me first be clear on the review’s scope, this government is not an international court,” he said.
Lammy added: “It is with regret that I inform the House today, that the assessment I have received finds that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there exists a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.
“Therefore today we are announcing the suspension of around 30 export licenses to Israel as required under the Export Controls frameworks.”
Later, the Foreign Office issued a statement confirming that the suspension will not change the UK’s “steadfast support for Israel’s security,” and that the decision will be kept under review.
Responding to the announcement, Campaign Against Arms Trade, criticising the exemption relating to the F-35 combat aircraft, 15% of which is produced in the UK, and for which Israel is one of the recipient countries.
Lammy’s statement came on the same day that Danish news outlet Information, together with NGO Danwatch, revealed that, for the first time, it has been possible to definitively confirm the use by Israel of an F-35 stealth fighter to carry out a specific attack in Gaza.
The attack took place on 13 July, on an Israeli-designated “safe zone” in Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, killing 90 people and injuring at least 300.
Sam Perlo-Freeman, Research Coordinator for Campaign Against Arms Trade said: “The government’s statement today that it is suspending 30 arms export licences to Israel is a belated, but welcome move, finally acting upon the overwhelming evidence of Israeli war crimes in Gaza. But exempting parts for Israel’s F-35 is utterly outrageous and unjustifiable.
“These are by far the UK’s most significant arms supplies to the Israeli military, and just today we have confirmation that they have been used in one of the most egregious attacks in recent months. The government has admitted that there is a ‘clear risk’ that Israel is using fighter aircraft among other weapons to violate international humanitarian law. How can this ‘clear risk’ not apply to the F-35s? The only right and legal course of action is to end the supply of F-35 parts to Israel, along with the rest of UK arms sales.”
