Report: UK Continued Arms Sales to Israel Despite Legal Concerns

Facts

• David Cameron, Britain's foreign minister, opted to continue UK arms sales to Israel despite lawyers from Britain's Foreign Office reportedly warning that Israel's attacks on Gaza 'raise serious concerns' about possible breaches of international humanitarian law.¹
• The revelation came from a legal document submitted by the UK government in response to a challenge from legal and human rights groups seeking to put a stop to Britain's sales of weapons to Israel for use in Gaza.²
• Earlier this month, Cameron told a meeting of the country's Foreign Affairs Select Committee that he was personally worried that some incidents 'might be in breach of international law,' but didn't directly answer lawmakers when they pressed him on whether he received specific legal advice on the issue.³
• However, the government document sets out that Britain's Foreign Office conducted four separate assessments into the matter. In addition to raising concerns about the volume of strikes and the death toll, including the proportion of those killed being children, the Foreign Office also had 'concerns around the basis on which Israel is granting or withholding consent for humanitarian access.'¹
• The 22-page legal document sets out how the Foreign Office sent a series of nine questions to the Israeli embassy in London on Nov. 21 — including requests for information on decision-making that led to Israel's actions at the al-Shifa hospital and the Jabalia refugee camp. Israel responded to the letter on Nov. 26, stating it could not provide information on 'specific incidents,' but provided a 14-page annex assuring the UK it had mechanisms to comply with international law.⁴
• Ultimately, the Foreign Office concluded it didn't have enough information to assess Israel's compliance with international law and left the decision in the hands of ministers. As a result, on Dec. 8 Cameron was given three options: continue exports but keep them under review; suspend exports likely to be used in Gaza; or stop all arms sales. Cameron opted for the first option on Dec. 12, concluding that there was 'good evidence to support a judgment that Israel is committed to complying with [international humanitarian law].'¹

Sources: ¹The Guardian, ²Middle East Eye, ³Reuters and ⁴GLAN.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by GLAN. The UK has robust mechanisms to ensure that its arms exports, including to Israel, comply with international humanitarian law obligations. While some concerns will remain to be monitored, Israel has provided sufficient evidence to show its intent on complying with its obligations under international law. That's why David Cameron made the decision to continue existing deliveries, on the provision that further monitoring continues to happen.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. This is a deeply damaging story showing that the UK okayed further arms sales to Israel despite 'serious concerns' from the UK Foreign Office that Israel was complying with international law. After the UK raised concerns with Israel, the Israeli response's failure to give more information about specific strikes led the Foreign Office to conclude that it didn't have enough information to make a judgement. It was then approved by David Cameron, who later misled lawmakers about the amount of legal advice available, despite these outstanding concerns.

Predictions