UK To Suspend 30 Export Licences For Arms To Israel, Lammy Announces
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Foreign secretary David Lammy has announced that the UK government is to suspend 30 of the 350 arms export licences to Israel.
Mr Lammy made the announcement as he updated MPs in the Commons on the first day after recess.
The decision has been made after the new Labour government said it found a “clear risk” that UK arms could be used in serious violation of humanitarian law relating to the treatment of Palestinian detainees and the supply of aid to Gaza.
Mr Lammy insisted: “Throughout my life I have been a friend of Israel.”
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Foreign secretary David Lammy has suspended 30 export licences for arms to Israel (PA) (PA Wire)He also said that 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.
The move comes after Rishi Sunak’s Tory government refused to suspend arms sales to Israel after questions over its response to Hamas’s terrorist attack. However, speaking for the Tories today, shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell did not oppose the decision.
However, former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said: “Very concerned by Labour government decision to suspend some arms export licences to Israel just days after six hostages murdered by Hamas. As MP for Hertsmere I will always support Israel’s right to self defence.”
Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said: “Robert Jenrick MP said: “This is shameful gesture politics to appease the hard Left. Sir Keir has put party management first, and Britain’s interests second. Britain should be standing with our ally Israel as it defends itself, and the world, against Iran’s war of state-sponsored terrorism.”
The first MP to speak out against the move in the House 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 a pro-Gaza ticket 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”.
Mourners wave Israeli flags (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)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.”
He told the Commons: “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 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 F35 fighter jet programme – essentially giving this programme a blank cheque to continue despite knowing that F35s 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 2,000-pound bombs on Palestinians for months now, is nowhere near adequate.
“In the time Parliament has been in recess alone, Oxfam estimates that over 1,100 people have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli military. By leaving a loophole that allows Israel to order weapons via third parties, the suspension is little more than window dressing. Stronger, more committed action from the UK Government is urgently needed, with a suspension of all arms exports and the closure of all loopholes.”
