British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Tuesday that the UK government will maintain its policy of approving weapon sales to Israel, dismissing calls to suspend exports amid allegations of humanitarian violations in Gaza.
Cameron, speaking during a visit to Washington, emphasized that the UK’s arms export control regime had been rigorously reviewed in light of the situation in Gaza and Israel’s military activities. Despite acknowledging concerns about humanitarian access in Gaza, Cameron asserted that the latest assessment did not warrant a change in the UK’s position on export licenses.
The United States, a major supplier of weapons to Israel, similarly declined to halt shipments despite mounting criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict.
The decision comes in the wake of an Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers, including three Britons and one US-Canadian dual citizen. While the Israeli military labeled the incident an accident, it has sparked international outrage.
In response, over 600 British lawyers, including former Supreme Court judges, warned that the UK’s weapon exports to Israel could violate international law.
Under Britain’s strategic licensing criteria, weapons should not be exported when there is a “clear risk” of their use in violations of international humanitarian law. However, London has approved over £487 million ($614 million) of weapon sales to Israel since 2015 through single-issue licenses, with additional exports authorized under open licenses, according to arms control organizations.
Meanwhile, Germany, another significant arms exporter to Israel, faces accusations of breaching the UN Genocide Convention in a case brought by Nicaragua before the International Court of Justice. Germany has defended its support for Israel as a cornerstone of its foreign policy, rejecting Nicaragua’s allegations as gross distortions of its record.
