'Fig leaf': Secret trip to 'Israel' by British General uncovered
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Major General Zac Stennings, the head of the Strategic Command at the UK Ministry of Defense, is leading a military mission to "Israel" despite the ongoing investigation into genocide and war crimes.
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Major General Zac Stennings from the British Army during the Sovereign's Parade in August 2022. (X photo)
A top British general is traveling to "Israel" for a military briefing, despite the occupation being under investigation for genocide and war crimes, Declassified has revealed.
Major General Zachary Stenning, the former commander of the Sandhurst Officer Academy, will lead the mission.
He is presently the head of Strategic Command, a branch of the Ministry of Defense (MoD). StratCom aims to improve defense effectiveness by “learning and adapting to make Defense more lethal…We are the capabilities you don’t usually see. Or those you can’t.”
The travel comes only weeks after General Oded Basyuk, the Israeli military's commander of operations, was granted immunity from prosecution to visit the Ministry of Defense in London.
Israeli generals are fearful of being jailed overseas after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza.
Although the UK government has prohibited the supply of some weapons to "Israel", Declassified learned that the MoD engages in normal bilateral military operations with the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
John Deverell, a former brigadier and ex-head of defense diplomacy at the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD), told Declassified that British servicemen should avoid visiting occupied territories right now, arguing that any military relationship with "Israel" could imply British approval of the Israeli actions, which might be perceived as giving a "fig leaf" to the IOF.
Deverell emphasized, “Our MoD should not have anything to do with their Israeli opposite numbers… Any relationship between the two militaries is useful to the IDF.”
He emphasized that the UK should sever ties with the IOF, especially given past accusations of international law violations, adding that this should have been done "as soon as the first allegations of violations" were made.
“So, notwithstanding the possible value of the relationship to the British side – perhaps in terms of technological know-how – we should cut off all links forthwith."
Since October 2023, Britain's top senior military officers, including the Chief of Defence Staff, the head of the Royal Air Force, and the commander of StratCom, have conducted at least five unpublicized visits to "Israel".
Meanwhile, prominent Israeli officials, including Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who was granted protection like Basyuk, have visited the UK.
Stenning, who is leading the most recent mission, was formerly the MoD's chief of military strategy and was awarded medals for "gallant and distinguished services" in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans.
"As part of the concerted UK effort to support security and stability in the Middle East and to achieve a peaceful resolution following ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, we continue to conduct defense engagement in the region alongside partners and allies," a representative for the MoD stated.
