UK suspends some arms sales to Israel
London: The UK government has announced the suspension of some arms export licenses to Israel.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy informed lawmakers in parliament on Monday that around 30 licenses, out of a total of approximately 350, were being suspended, Xinhua news agency reported.
Lammy stated that assessments had indicated a clear risk that UK arms could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law.
The Foreign Office said that a two-month review had raised concerns about Israel’s conduct in the conflict in Gaza.
Israel has condemned the UK government’s move and called it “a step that sends a very problematic message” to Hamas and its backers in Iran.
In a statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz expressed his country’s “disappointment” with the latest suspension by the UK’s new Labor government, as well as with previous decisions Britain made regarding Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip.
“Israel is a law-abiding nation,” Katz said, adding that he expects “friendly countries like Britain to recognise this”.
He voiced hope that “the deep friendship between Britain and Israel, which has endured since Israel’s founding, will continue in the future”.