Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian agency: Russia will conduct a nuclear test if the US does
Al-Nakhalah: We are the rightful owners, and we must fight to retrieve our rights
Al-Nakhalah: The enemy and its allies must know that we can never surrender to their terms and diktats after all the sacrifices made
Al-Nakhalah: The prisoner exchange clause can be completed in the next few days, and thus we will have pulled the [explosion] fuse and removed the enemy's justifications for aggression
Al-Nakhalah: The Resistance has expressed its willingness to negotiate on the basis that there are items that can be dealt with positively, the first of which is the prisoner exchange item
Al-Nakhalah: Trump's plan entails the Palestinian people's declaration of complete surrender to the enemy
PIJ Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, in an address aired on Al Mayadeen: The Resistance is engaging in a fierce negotiating battle under the so-called Trump plan
Russian Federation Council approves joint military cooperation agreement with Cuba
Al-Nunu: Today, the lists of prisoners required to be released, the agreed-upon criteria and numbers, were exchanged
Al-Nunu from Sharm el-Sheikh: Negotiations focused on mechanisms for implementing an end to the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners

Cameron defends UK arms sales to 'Israel', Labour MP cites war crimes

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 12 May 2024 22:33
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron defends continued arms sales to "Israel" despite US halts and criticism from Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who accuses the government of abetting war crimes.

  • x
  • Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron delivers a speech at the National Cyber Security Centre in London, Thursday May 9, 2024. (AP)
    Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron delivers a speech at the National Cyber Security Centre in London, on Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP)

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated on the BBC that while he opposes a major ground offensive in Rafah, the UK will not follow in the US footsteps in halting some arms sales to "Israel". He noted that the UK contributes only 1% to "Israel's" total weapons supply and emphasized that "Israel" needs to better "protect civilians" and ensure the passage of humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, Labour's Jonathan Ashworth, among others, expressed opposition to the use of UK-made arms in Rafah.

This week, US President Joe Biden announced that the US would halt weapon supplies to "Israel" if it proceeds with its planned invasion of Rafah without setting a US-approved plan to allegedly protect Palestinians; despite the clear disregard for Palestinian life as the confirmed death toll surpasses 35,000 people.

In response, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Tel Aviv is willing to stand alone if it needs to.

According to Cameron, the last time he was pressured to halt weapons sales to "Israel" was after the Israeli occupation forces killed three UK citizens in a strike on their car, making reference to the deliberate targeting of the World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza earlier in the war.

However, Cameron then added that "a few days later there was a brutal attack by Iran on Israel," making reference to Iran's retaliation to "Israel's" bombardment of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, which left several martyred.

Subsequently, Cameron emphasized that "just to simply announce today that we will change our approach on arms exports, it would make Hamas stronger and it would make a hostage deal less likely."

Meanwhile, he expressed a commitment to "hammering away every day" to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza, with nothing done on the ground in this regard.

Related News

Islamic Jihad delegation arrives in Egypt for Gaza ceasefire talks

Every 2 days, 13 Palestinians amputated, 6 paralyzed or blinded

The Foreign Secretary then acknowledged "Israel's" actions, admitted that "Israel's performance is not good enough," and noted that "Israel has not had a clean bill of health" in terms of facilitating humanitarian aid access in the genocide-stricken and besieged Gaza Strip.

However, Cameron once more reaffirmed the UK's policy vis-à-vis the occupation and said that the UK maintains "a different approach" and that he was "not really interested in message sending" through political moves like suspending weapons sales to Tel Aviv.

He explained, "I'm interested in what can we do to maximize the British pressure and the outcome that will help people in their lives - including getting the hostages, including British nationals, released."

Additionally, he rejected the notion of deploying British troops to Gaza, asserting that it was "a risk that we should not take."

Contradictions within the UK

In a pointed criticism of the UK government, Labour MP Zarah Sultana accused the administration of failing to adhere to its own Strategic Export Licensing Criteria by supplying weapons to "Israel". Speaking to the BBC, Sultana argued that the scale of the arms sales is inconsequential when such weapons could potentially be used in violations of international humanitarian law.

"We are aiding and abetting what are war crimes happening on a daily basis," she stated, underlining the serious nature of the ongoing genocide. 

Additionally, Jonathan Ashworth, a senior member of the shadow cabinet, expressed his concerns about the potential use of British-made weapons in a proposed full-scale offensive into Rafah, describing such a scenario as a "catastrophe beyond description." 

As such, Ashworth emphasized he did not "want to see British-made weapons used" in an invasion in Rafah.

Read more: UK executed 200 spy missions over Gaza to assist 'Israel' in genocide

  • Gaza Strip
  • Weapons to Israel
  • Israel
  • UK
  • United Kingdom
  • David Cameron
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
Al-Quds Brigades strike a command and control center north of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, in an undated screengrab from the al-Quds Brigades military media

Gaza resistance announces major operations against Israeli forces

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Retired Israeli General Brik says Israel has reached point of no return.
Politics

Retired Israeli General Brik: 'Israel has reached point of no return'

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation
Politics

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation

Gaza’s newborns gasp for life as hospitals collapse amid Israeli war
Health

Gaza newborns gasp for life, share oxygen masks amid collapsed system

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls
Politics

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS