The United Kingdom government has announced the suspension of some arms exports to Israel, raising concerns that the equipment could be used in violation of international humanitarian law during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This move, while limited in its military impact, signifies the growing pressure on Israel from its allies to end the war.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the government concluded there’s a “clear risk” that certain items might be used to “commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.” Lammy explained that the decision affected approximately 30 out of 350 existing export licenses for equipment believed to be utilized in the conflict, including components for military aircraft, helicopters, and drones, as well as items used for ground targeting. However, he emphasized that the decision was not a “determination of innocence or guilt” regarding Israel’s compliance with international law and did not constitute an arms embargo.
The move has been met with mixed reactions. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed disappointment on X, highlighting that the UK is among Israel’s long-standing allies facing increasing pressure to halt arms exports due to the devastating toll of the nearly 11-month-old conflict in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory. It’s important to note that these figures include both militants and civilians. The war began on October 7 after Hamas militants and others launched an attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and taking about 250 hostages. Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with a third believed to be deceased.
While British companies sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel compared to major suppliers like the U.S. and Germany, the decision carries symbolic significance due to the UK’s close alliance with Israel. The military affairs correspondent for Israel’s Channel 13 TV suggested that the move could become more serious if other allies follow suit.
Sam Perlo-Freeman, research coordinator for Campaign Against Arms Trade, praised the announcement as a “belated, but welcome move” but criticized the exclusion of parts for F-35 fighter jets from the suspended exports, deeming it “outrageous and unjustifiable.”
The government’s decision follows a legal challenge filed by two organizations – Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network – aiming to force the UK to cease granting arms export licenses to Israel. The case is yet to undergo a full court hearing. Dearbhla Minogue, senior lawyer for the Global Legal Action Network, hailed the government’s decision as a “momentous” one that validates the concerns raised by Palestinians for months.
The UK’s center-left Labour government, led by Keir Starmer, has faced pressure from within its own ranks and from lawmakers to exert more pressure on Israel to halt the violence. This pressure intensified following the party’s election loss in July, where several seats they were predicted to win went to pro-Palestinian independents. This loss stemmed from Starmer’s initial reluctance to call for a ceasefire after Israel retaliated following the October 7th attacks.
In a departure from the stance of its Conservative predecessor, Starmer’s government declared in July that the UK would not interfere with the International Criminal Court’s request for an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Additionally, Starmer reinstated funding for the UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, which had been suspended by the Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government in January.
Foreign Secretary Lammy, who has visited Israel twice in the past two months as part of Western efforts to broker a ceasefire, asserted his commitment to Zionism and friendship with Israel, but condemned the violence in Gaza as “horrifying.” He explicitly stated that “Israel’s actions in Gaza continue to lead to immense loss of civilian life, widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, and immense suffering.
