Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized the UK’s decision to suspend several arms sales to Israel, referring to it as “shameful”. He stated that the UK’s decision will only encourage Hamas instead of backing Israel, a country fighting against barbarism. The UK suspended around 30 export licences, out of 350 export licences, which ministers say could be utilized in Gaza to defy international law.
UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the ban on Monday, affecting equipment such as drones, fighter jets, and helicopter parts. Human rights group Amnesty International UK asserted that the decision of the British government was inadequate. Israel’s security will not be compromised by the suspension of arms exports, according to UK Defence Secretary John Healey.
US is the largest supplier of arms to Israel, accounting for 69% of its imports of significant conventional arms between 2019 and 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The UK makes a smaller impact supplying just 1% of the country’s defence imports. The Israeli Prime Minister states that regardless of British arms supply, Israel will triumph this war and protect their mutual future.
Criticism for the decision was also expressed by former shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, who is currently sitting as an independent MP after getting suspended from the Labour Party, has called for an end to all weapons sales to Israel, referring to F35 jets as “the most lethal in the world”. Lord Peter Ricketts, former national arms advisor, told the BBC the Government’s decision was “long overdue,” adding that the government should stop selling arms to Israel following the death of seven aid workers in April
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