British arms sales permits to 'Israel' drop to 13-year low: Reuters

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Reuters
18 Jun 2024 12:18

British arms export licenses to "Israel" drop to nearly $1 million, as worries about the legal drawbacks of supplying arms to the occupation force caution the UK.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, and Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak inspect weaponry at the Warsaw Armoured Brigade in Warsaw, Poland, on April 23, 2024. (AP)

British approval of arms export licenses to the Israeli occupation dropped sharply after the start of the war on Gaza, as the value of arms sales permits fell by more than 95%, Reuters reported.

The current figure is a 13-year-low and is a marker of the controversy and legal troubles faced by countries providing the means for the Israeli aggression on Gaza to continue.

Reuters acquired data from the British Department of Business and Trade's Export Control unit, as well as information provided by UK government officials, which provided the news agency with unreported and specific details on the issue.

Though Britain does not directly engage in arms sales, it does govern the process by issuing permits allowing the UK private sector to provide military-grade systems and equipment to third parties.

The value of these licenses dropped to $1.09 million between October 7 and December 31 last year, according to Reuters. In the same period in 2022, the British government approved nearly 20 million pounds ($25.4 million) in arms sales permits to "Israel". This includes small arms ammunition and components for combat aircraft.

In 2017, the figure was much higher, as the British government had approved 185 million pounds, nearly $240 million, in export licenses, which included components for tanks and surface-to-air missiles.

The British process of exporting arms to entities also involves input from government lawyers, who determine whether the sale would or could jeopardize London in international courts.

The licenses approved in the aforementioned period since the start of the war on Gaza were for items listed for commercial use or non-lethal items such as body armor, military helmets, and all-wheel drive vehicles with ballistic protection.

A deeper dive shows continued British complicity with 'Israel'

However, The Guardian reported that in a period from October 7, 2023, and May 31, 2024, which is a period longer than that analyzed by Reuters, the UK issued over 100 arms export licenses to the Israeli occupation.

The figures show that, of the 108 licenses, 37 were for military use and 63 for non-military purposes, potentially including telecommunications equipment for the Israeli occupation forces. Additionally, eight open licenses were granted by the UK to "Israel".

Currently, there are 345 active licenses for arms sales to "Israel", including those issued before the start of the war on Gaza on October 7. The UK Department for Business and Trade released these figures in response to what it deemed exceptional parliamentary interest.

The data show that no arms export license applications were rejected or revoked during the war on Gaza. However, Emily Apple from the Campaign Against Arms Trade pointed out that the figures lack details on the value and specific categories of the licenses, information usually provided in the quarterly arms export licenses statistics.

Moreover, the current UK government has dealt with the issue with near complete secrecy, refusing to go public with the advice of lawyers regarding the use of British-provided arms by the Israeli government.