Government under pressure after Israeli arms exports hit almost £0.5bn
It has become a flashpoint of the increasingly bloody Israelhamas conflict, and one that has brought serious accusations of complicity and breaches of international law against the UK Government.
For years now, the issue of arms exports to Israel has been a significant political and humanitarian issue, but as the conflict in Gaza rages on into a sixth month, it has become more heated than ever before.
According to the UK Government,some 0.02 percent of israel’ s military imports came from the UK in 2022, with 114 granted export licences worth £42 million. One Tory MP, Brendan Clarke-smith, has described that sum as “relatively small”, and when compared to the nations that provide the bulk of Israel’s foreign sourced weapons – the US, followed by Germany – that is true.
But over the course of less than a decade, theukh as still exported nearly half a billion pounds to Israel, meaning the sum is in no way insignificant. Indeed, in 2017, more than £200m worth of licences were approved, primarily to provide technology for military radars.
According to the Campaign Against arms trade, theukh as licenced £489m worth of arms to Israel since 2015.
The campaign group has raised concerns over the contributions made by UK firms to F-35 aircraft, which it says are being used by the israeli military to target gaza. it has also warned the actual level of exports since 2015 is likely to be “significantly higher”, given there have been nearly 50 open licences in that period, which allow for an unlimited quantity and value of exports. Indeed, there were ten open licences granted in 2022.
Any UK company that wishes to export military or dual-use goods – those that could have military or civilian applications –have to apply for a licence from theuk government to proceed, with an entity known as the Export control joint unit, which sits within the Department for Business and trade, responsible for arms export controls.
It assess es applications against the government’s own strategic export licensing criteria, which states licences should not be granted “if it determines there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate internal repression, or where we determine there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law ”.
While the government has approved licences as normal, several firms that have exported goods used by the Israeli military, such as Leonardo, Raytheon and BAE Systems, which all have presences in Scotland, have been targeted by protesters in recent months and years.
In face of mounting pressure over its weapons trade with Israel, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said last week the UK’S position was in line with its international partners, pointing out that, so far, “no like-minded countries have taken the decision to suspend existing arms export licences to Israel”.
If theuk government decides to suspend all, or some, export licences to Israel, it would not be setting a precedent. In 2009, Britain revoked export licences for weapons used by Israeli navy missile boats because of their use during attacks on Gaza.
No like-minded countries have taken the decision to suspend existing arms export licences to Israel Lord Cameron