ALBAWABA - The United Kingdom has announced that it would suspend 30 out of 350 licenses to transfer weaponry to Israel, Al Jazeera reports. The British government cites a "clear risk" that these licenses might be used in severe violations of international humanitarian law.
While addressing parliament on Monday, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that the partial embargo included items “which could be used in the current conflict in Gaza,” including drones, combat planes, and helicopters.
That being said, the prohibition does not apply to components for Israel's cutting-edge F-35 stealth jet fighters.
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He said that the decision to suspend the licenses did not constitute a blanket prohibition or a complete arms embargo, adding that the United Kingdom maintains to stand by Israel's claim to ‘self-defense’ in line with international law, the BBC reports.
As a result of Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip, Western nations are under increasing pressure to stop selling weapons to the Israel. The foreign secretary noted that a number of MPs, attorneys, and international organizations had expressed concerns, calling for a cessation of export licenses.
“It is with regret that I inform the House [of Commons] 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,” Lammy stated.
In a statement, Israel Katz, the foreign minister of Israel, said that Israel was "disappointed by a series of decisions" taken by the British government, notably the one pertaining to arms exports.
Hassan Barari, an international affairs professor at Qatar University, commented to Al Jazeera that “there is a deception here because there is a huge difference between a right to defend yourself and the genocide that Israel has been doing,” adding that “we haven’t heard from the British government a critique or criticism of what the Israeli government is doing in Gaza.”
So far, the Israeli military has been responsible for the killing of at least 40,786 Palestinians and the injury of 94,224 more throughout its aggression on Gaza strip since October 7.
