Former top diplomat calls on government to stop arming Israel

THE UK must halt arms sales to Israel in the wake of the killings of seven aid workers in Gaza, including three Britons, a former national security adviser has suggested.

Lord Peter Ricketts, a former senior diplomat who chaired the Joint Intelligence Committee during the Blair era, said Israeli forces’ killing of the aid workers has sparked “global outrage” as he called for an “immediate ceasefire”.

Aid organisation World Central Kitchen (WCK) confirmed British victims John Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team, were among seven of its staff killed when their convoy was struck by the Israeli military after unloading food in Gaza.

The killings have prompted condemnation from the UK and its allies.

Crossbench peer Lord Ricketts, who served as national security adviser between 2010 and 2012, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think there is abundant evidence now that Israel hasn’t been taking enough care to fulfil its obligations on the safety of civilians, and a country that gets arms from the UK has to comply with international humanitarian law, that is a condition of the arms export licensing policy.

“I think the time has come to send that signal. It won’t change the course of the war. It would be a powerful political message, and it might just stimulate debate in the US as well, which would be the real game-changer, if the Americans began to think about putting limits, restrictions on the use of American weapons in Israel.”

He added: “Sometimes in conflict, you get a moment where there’s such global outrage that it crystalises a sense that things can’t go on like this.

“And I think – I hope – that this awful incident will serve that purpose.”

The peer said a failure by Israel to respond appropriately and show aid workers they are able to deliver supplies to areas of conflict should prompt “further steps to increase the pressure on Netanyahu”, including the UK no longer supplying the country with arms.

He called for “an immediate ceasefire for an extended period to open up the borders and make it safe to get aid in for those delivering it and those receiving it”, adding this could also help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Last month more than 200 MPs signed a letter from Progressive International (PI) saying they will “not be complicit in Israel’s grave violation of international law” and stressing that an “arms embargo has moved beyond a moral necessity to become a legal requirement”.

SNP MPs David Linden, Tommy Sheppard, and Philippa Whitford were among those to sign the document. SNP Westminster chief Stephen Flynn has consistently called for an immediate end of arms sales to Israel.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has in recent weeks come under pressure from across the political spectrum to publish legal advice he has received about UK arms exports to Israel.

Export licences could not continue to be granted for UK arms heading to Israel if there is a risk weapons could be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Before MPs left Parliament for the Easter recess, Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell told the Commons UK arms exports amount to “0.02% of Israel’s military imports” when