Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, the U.K. has supplied millions of pounds worth of arms to Israel. Last June, the U.K. government announced that 108 licenses to export arms to Israel were granted between October 7 and the end of May 2024.
Allegations Of An Arms Embargo Put By The U.K. Circulated Online
In a recent report in the British newspaper The Daily Mail published on August 2, it was said that Foreign Secretary David Lammy is “expected to bring on a ban” on the weapons exported to Israel.
The paper claimed that David Lammy’s party saw the exporting of weapons to Israel as a possible link to war crimes. However, the decision was delayed until later this summer, the paper added.
Several Israeli or Jewish media outlets like The Jerusalem Post, All Israel, and The Jewish Chronicle shared the claim that the U.K. suspended arms export licenses to Israel.
Social media users also widely shared the claim and criticized the U.K. government.
The British Government Denied The Alleged Embargo
Three days after the reports of the alleged arms embargo appeared, the Middle East Eye contacted a spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and confirmed that no decision had been made. It should be noted that the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for issuing arms export licenses.
The spokesperson stated that the Department continues to review export license applications on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
Whitehall sources also dismissed the articles regarding the suspension confirming that there was no change in export licensing, according to The Times, the British paper.
Al Jazeera ِArabic also published an article titled, “Britain refutes the news about an arms embargo to Israel,” in which it confirmed that the U.K. government did not change its policy regarding the arms licenses exported to Israel, citing The Times’ article.
Although the U.K. is reviewing advice about exports to Israel, no decision has been made until now. As for the reports saying that exporters received letters from the Department of Business and Trade stating that applications are on hold pending review, sources confirmed that this is not a change of policy and may just be an administrative measure.
Furthermore, several news outlets were told by the U.K. government that there has been no change in policy regarding Israel's arms export licenses, such as Anadolu and the Jewish News.
The New Labour Government In The U.K. Supports Israel And Avoid Antisemitism Accusations
Despite all the calls for an arms embargo by pro-Palestine British people, the British Labour Party is in front of political, economic, and historical issues hindering any efforts to ban arms sales to Israel.
The party tried to win back Muslim support by withdrawing its objection to a potential arrest warrant by the International Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. However, an arms embargo may still be far.
Upon Hezbollah's attacks on 27 July in which they targeted Majdal Shams, Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed his support for Israel in a statement that could suggest an arms embargo may not be a possible step soon in order to win back Muslim support. “We support Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international humanitarian law. As I have said before, it is in a tough neighborhood, threatened by those who want to see its annihilation," he said.
Lammy confirmed later in his statement that the British government is committed to working alongside Israel against the Iranian threats.
The U.K. contributes to the F-16 and F-35 fighter jets used by Israel. Approximately 15% of the components in each F-35 Israel uses are manufactured by British industry, according to data provided by Campaign Against Arms Trade. These jets could be equipped with 2000-pound bombs.
Contrary to Lammy’s statement, the weapons sent by the U.K. to Israel have been used in the Gaza Strip against civilians, including children and women, with real numbers and names provided by the Health Ministry in Gaza, breaching international law.
In 2013, the U.K. signed the Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits the export of arms that could potentially be used to commit violations of international human rights or humanitarian law and prohibits the use of weapons against civilians.
What could also be a reason for the U.K. to not put an arms embargo on Israel is that the Labour Party's current leadership under Keir Starmer is particularly sensitive to accusations of antisemitism that the party faced during the tenure of his predecessor Jermy Corbyn.
Iain Overton, executive director of the London-based non-governmental organization Action on Armed Violence, said that as Starmer’s wife is Jewish and as the Labour Party has a lot of friends from Israel, the Labour Party has a lot of internal politics about not being seen to be anti-Israel.
According to Overton, the suspension of arms exports to Israel would ignite a debate in the U.K. which is a situation the current premier is keen to avoid.
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