UK may suspend more arms export licenses to Israel over war crimes fears: Report

LONDON: The UK may suspend more arms export licenses to Israel over fears that the weapons would be used to violate international humanitarian law in Gaza and the West Bank.

Export licenses are reviewed every six weeks and ministers could act again should more evidence of potential war crimes emerge, The Times reported on Thursday citing a government source.

“No one’s patting themselves on the back and declaring an end to the matter,” the source said.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Monday that Britain would immediately suspend 30 of its 350 arms export licenses with Israel because there was a risk such equipment might be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Lammy said the decision to suspend the licenses did not amount to a blanket ban or an arms embargo, but only involved those that could be used in Israel’s war on Gaza.

“We recognize, of course, Israel’s need to defend itself against security threats, but we are deeply worried by the methods that Israel’s employed, and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure particularly,” Lammy told parliament.

A summary of the government’s legal position published on Monday cited “credible” claims that Palestinian prisoners of war were being mistreated and “insufficient” supply of aid to Gaza as reasons for the weapons embargo.

According to the legal advice, the government was unable to reach a “determinative judgment” about Israel’s conduct of hostilities in Gaza, where there is an “opaque and contested information environment.”

There has been significant international coverage from the West Bank, unlike in Gaza where Israel has blocked foreign journalists from reporting on the conflict.

According to the government source, Lammy has condemned recent Israeli military operations in the West Bank, and a deterioration of the security situation in the occupied territory could prompt further action.

However, the source added there were few weapons exported from Britain that were likely to be used in the West Bank that have not already been covered by the existing ban.

Britain’s decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel was roundly criticized on Tuesday with some British politicians and Jewish groups accusing the Labour government of abandoning Israel, while others said the decision did not go far enough.

Although Britain is a smaller exporter of arms to Israel than the US and Germany, the decision was seen by some analysts as a sign of Tel Aviv’s increasing diplomatic isolation.