This is the first major diplomatic decision of the new British Labour government. On Monday 2 September, Keir Starmer’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, announced from the House of Commons the ” break “ in the delivery of “certain weapons” Israel, that is, 30 arms export licenses out of the approximately 350 existing to the Jewish State, including components used in the manufacture of fighter planes, drones or helicopters. Their shipments will be ” immediately “ suspended due to “There are clear risks that these weapons could be used in Gaza” within the framework of “serious violations of international humanitarian law” for Israel, Mr Lammy said.
Reacting to the announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that “deeply disappointed” for this partial suspension. Lammy acts under the UK regime governing exports of domestically produced arms to foreign powers. Updated in 2021, just after Brexit, largely inspired by European legislation, it aims to prevent London from indirectly contributing to facilitating “serious violations of humanitarian law”The move is largely symbolic: British exports account for 1% of total Israeli arms imports, and Israel sources its supplies mainly from the United States and Germany.
But the diplomatic setback is significant for the Jewish state, which has been a staunch ally until now and very reluctant to dissociate itself from American foreign policy. However, the White House has so far ruled out any suspension of export licenses to the Jewish state. However, it is not “by no means “refuse to arm Israel against Hamas, Hezbollah or Houthi rebels,” Lammy said from the House of Commons, as the minister insisted on a decision. “resulting from a process” strictly legal. Lammy had requested a review of the compliance of arms exports to Israel when he arrived at the Foreign Office in July. His announcement did not “It is by no means a punishment for Israel,” added the Tottenham MP (in London), who insisted on the ” good “ of the country to defend himself and assured that he had made his decision “with repentance, not with anger”.
Inflection
Although partial (and as such it has been criticised by the left wing of the Labour Party), this ban contrasts with the policy of Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government. In early 2024, David Cameron, Lammy’s predecessor at the Foreign Office, had hoped “worry” that Israel can “violate certain international humanitarian laws,” But the rest of Sunak’s cabinet did not follow suit and the then trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, had stopped questioning export licences.
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