UK Suspends 30 Arms Export Licences to Israel

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Facts

  • David Lammy, the British foreign secretary, said Wednesday that upon review, the UK would suspend 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, citing requirements under the UK's Export Control Act of 2002.[1]
  • Since Britain's Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative government on July 4, it has broken from its predecessors on a number of matters relating to Israel and Palestine — including restoring funding for the UN's Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).[2][3][4]
  • It also dropped the previous government's attempt to impede the issuing of International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.[5][3]
  • Announcing the latest move, Lammy told the House of Commons: 'This government is not an international court. We have not — and could not — arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law,' adding: 'This is a forward-looking evaluation, not a determination of innocence or guilt. And it does not prejudge any future determinations by the competent courts.'[1]
  • However, he added that law required the UK government to review export licences and that Criterion 2C of the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria states that 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.'[1]
  • Lammy continued: 'It is with regret that I inform the House today... 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.'[1]

Sources: [1]GOV.UK (a), [2]GOV.UK (b), [3]Timesofisrael, [4]POLITICO and [5]Al Jazeera.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. The new UK government, under the leadership of Keir Starmer, is breaking with the past government in a number of ways — including Rishi Sunak's interference with the International Criminal Court. This government supports the court as the cornerstone of international law.
  • Right narrative, as provided by New York Times. Under Conservative leadership, the UK was in lockstep with the US with respect to its policy on Israel. However, under the left-wing leadership of Starmer, he is breaking from his closest ally.

Predictions