UK hasn't 'ruled out' measures against 'Israel', says envoy to UN
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UK’s permanent representative to the UN says nothing is under active consideration now, as the occupation continues its genocide in Gaza.
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Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, speaks during a meeting of the UN Security Council, on April 24, 2023. (AP)
The UK has "not ruled out" the possibility of taking further measures against "Israel", according to the UK's permanent representative to the UN, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Friday.
Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the reporters when asked if the UK might extend arms export license suspensions to "Israel", “When we put the export bans in place, on the 30 (arms export licenses) that we have, I think there’s about 350 altogether, that any further measures would be up for consideration."
“We don’t have anything under active consideration, but we certainly haven’t ruled it out."
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in early September that the UK suspended 30 arms export licenses to "Israel" after a review, adding that “this is not a blanket ban; this is not an arms embargo."
In June, the Department for Business and Trade reported that the UK had granted 108 arms export licenses to "Israel" since the outset of the war on Gaza, with over 300 licenses still active, according to data available before Lammy’s announcement.
Woodward noted that the UK has a “highly monitored and transparent program” for arms exports to "Israel," and when the UK removed 30 items from the program in September, she noted that it responded "quite vocally" to the reduction in arms exports.
“Obviously, further action remains under review, but we don’t have an arms embargo at the moment, but we have cut our arms exports to Israel bilaterally,” she added.
'Appalling' situation in Gaza
As the war on Gaza has been raging on for more than a year, she described the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as “truly appalling”, adding that the UK is increasing its funding of aid.
She added, “The provisions we took to suspend arms exports to Israel were part of a larger picture in that so we have increased our humanitarian aid."
Emphasizing that Lammy has been in discussions with the "very highest levels" of the Israeli authorities regarding the importance of delivering aid to Gaza, Woodward stated that there are "no more excuses" for failing to assist in the region.
“We’re taking, I would say, a very robust line on the importance of doing that and then moving to a ceasefire and getting the hostages out and finding the political space,” she added.
As the war rages on, the UK is still "reviewing" a potential arms embargo on the Zionist entity that has been killing civilians, including women and children, and blocking all humanitarian efforts to ease the humanitarian situation in the Strip.
In the latest updated poll, the Gaza Health Ministry reported on Friday that Israeli occupation forces have committed three massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, killing 55 and injuring 186 in 24 hours only.
According to the Ministry’s daily report, the number of Palestinians killed since the start of the Israeli war on the Strip last year has risen to 43,259 martyrs, in addition to 101,827 injuries, as of November 1.
