The UK government is facing increasing pressure to suspend arms sales to Israel, following the deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza resulting from an Israeli strike. The Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party (SNP), and former UK national security adviser, Lord Ricketts, have all called for a halt to sales immediately, while Labour has urged that sales be stopped if government lawyers suggest that Israel may breach international law. Business Minister Greg Hands has revealed that UK arms exports to Israel were worth £42m last year, and cannot be licensed if the weapons may be used to breach international humanitarian law.
Britons John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby – all military veterans – were all working with food aid charity, World Central Kitchen, as security and safety advisers when their convoy was struck from the air. Also killed were Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom (an Australian), American-Canadian Jacob Flickinger, Pole Damian Sobol, and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha.
Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed the attack “tragic” and unintended, promising an investigation, the SNP is calling for Parliament to be recalled from Easter break, ending on 15 April, to specifically debate events in Gaza and whether arms sales should be ended.
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, confirmed in a statement to reporters that the party is urging the government to publish internal legal advice on whether an Israeli breach of international law has occurred: “If it says there is a clear risk that UK arms might be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law, it’s time to suspend the sale of those arms.” While he confirmed that Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair both suspended arms sales in the past, the current PM, Boris Johnson, has refused to halt sales at this stage, stating that government policy had always been to adhere to a strict export licensing procedure
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