On Wednesday, leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrat Party, Sir Ed Davey, asked the UK government to halt arms sales to Israel. This plea comes as a response to the deaths of British aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK), killed in an “unintended strike” by the Israel Defence Forces.
Major opposition parties in the UK, legal experts, and more than 600 British lawyers have voiced similar demands. Their argument rests on the legal opinion that Israel broke international law with its military actions in Gaza, and therefore, the UK should cease its weapon sales to the country. Their view references orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), obligations under international law, and recent developments in Gaza as pieces of evidence.
The legal professionals, including former president of the Supreme Court Baroness Hale and two other former Supreme Court justices, recommended five urgent actions for the UK. These include halting weapon provisions to Israel, imposing sanctions on those inciting genocide, and suspending steps that further the UK’s “strategic partnership” with Israel.
Four Conservatives expressed to the Guardian their support for these demands. Statements from MP for Clwyd West David Jones and former Supreme Court Justice Lord Jonathan Sumption reflect growing concerns over the conflict and the UK’s participation through arms export.
While some prominent figures, like former Chief Negotiator for exiting the EU and Cabinet minister under Boris Johnson, Lord David Frost, disagrees with this viewpoint, a YouGov poll reported in the Guardian shows that a majority of UK voters support a ban on arms exports to Israel.
Yet whether the UK government will change its arms export policy towards Israel remains unclear. In a recent interview, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak only mentioned that arms exports to Israel are under “careful” review.
The House of Commons research briefing provides some more context. It explains that the UK does not sell arms directly to Israel. Instead, it grants licenses for UK companies to make such transactions. This practice is assessed case-by-case, considering among other things whether there’s a clear risk that the items may facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. According to the Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, UK defense exports to Israel are “relatively small.”
But this wouldn’t be the first time a UK government has halted arms sales to Israel. Former Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair both did this in 1982 and 2002, respectively, in response to Israel’s military actions. What lies ahead for the UK’s arms export policies will unfold in due course.
For more details, read the full article at JURIST – News.