(London) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government announced Monday that it was suspending exports of certain weapons to Israel because they could be used to violate international law. The move, with limited military impact, is aimed at increasing pressure from Israel’s frustrated allies to end the war in Gaza.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the British government had concluded there was a “clear risk” that some items could be used to “commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law”. He told lawmakers the decision affected about 30 of 350 existing export licences for equipment “that we believe is intended for use in the ongoing conflict in Gaza”, including parts for military aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items used for ground targeting.
The decision was not “a determination of innocence or guilt” on whether Israel had violated international law, and does not mean an arms embargo, he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told X that he was “deeply disheartened to learn of the sanctions imposed by the British government on export licenses to the Israeli defense establishment.”
The UK is among a number of long-time Israeli allies whose governments are under increasing pressure to halt arms exports because of the toll of the nearly 11-month conflict in Gaza. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-controlled territory’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its toll.
The war broke out on October 7 after Hamas militants and others stormed Israel and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 hostages. Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.
British companies sell a relatively small amount of arms and components to Israel compared to major suppliers such as the United States and Germany. Earlier this year, the government said military exports to Israel would amount to £42m ($53m) in 2022.
The UK is one of Israel’s closest allies, so the decision has some symbolic significance. The military affairs correspondent for Israel’s Channel 13 television said the policy shift could become more serious if other allies follow suit.
Sam Perlo-Freeman, research coordinator for the Campaign Against Arms Trade group, noted that the announcement was “a belated but welcome step.” But he added that it was “outrageous and unjustifiable” that parts for F-35 fighter jets were not among the suspended exports.
The government’s decision comes after two groups, the Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network, filed a lawsuit seeking to force the UK to stop granting licences for arms exports to Israel. The case has yet to be heard by a full court.
Dearbhla Minogue, senior counsel at the Global Legal Action Network, said: “The government’s historic decision vindicates everything Palestinians have been saying for months.”
The UK’s centre-left Labour government led by Mr Starmer, elected in July, has come under pressure from some of its own members and lawmakers to put more pressure on Israel to end the violence. In the election, the party lost several seats it was expected to win to pro-Palestinian independents after Mr Starmer initially refused to call for a ceasefire following Israel’s retaliation after October 7.
In a departure from the position of its Conservative predecessor, the current government indicated in July that the UK would not intervene in the International Criminal Court’s request for an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Prime Minister Starmer also restored funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East, which was suspended by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government in January.
Mr Lammy, who has visited Israel twice in the past two months as part of Western efforts to press for a ceasefire, said he was a Zionist and a friend of Israel but described the violence in Gaza as horrific.
“Israel’s actions in Gaza continue to result in immense loss of civilian life, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and immense suffering,” he said.