UK expected to suspend some arms exports to 'Israel' by Tuesday
3 Min Read
The extent of the armaments prohibitions is still unknown, but the policy shift would be a serious blow to UK-"Israel" ties.
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A blimp with the massage 'Stop the arms sales to Israel' is carried during a demonstration to show solidarity with Palestinians during a protest march in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP)
The UK is anticipated to halt part of its arms sales to "Israel" as soon as Tuesday, The Telegraph reported.
According to two Israeli sources, intensive negotiations are presently taking place between the two allies, but "Israel" is bracing for the suspension announcement in the coming days.
The extent of the armaments prohibitions is still unknown, but the policy shift would be a serious blow to UK-"Israel" ties.
Speaking to The Telegraph, a UK government spokesperson said, “A review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law is ongoing."
Just four days ago, nine activists from a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators in London were arrested as protesters blocked the Foreign Office's entrance earlier in an effort to halt UK military shipments to "Israel".
The organizers and protesters, including laborers and trade unionists, objected and dubbed the arrest an excessive response.
Organizers of the protest, Workers for a Free Palestine, are pressuring the UK government to stop sending weapons to "Israel" and release legal counsel on the matter.
A lawyer who has represented Palestine, Prof. Philippe Sands, stated that military shipments ought to be halted in response to the UN Supreme Court's decision last month regarding "Israel's" occupation of Palestinian lands.
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This comes as "Israel's" settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Last month, The Guardian reported, citing government data, that the United Kingdom issued over 100 arms export licenses to "Israel" between October 7, 2023, and May 31, 2024. The data show that no arms export license applications were rejected or revoked during the war on Gaza.
Moreover, the new Labour party has stated that long-term peace and stability in the Middle East will be an immediate priority. It has agreed to recognize a Palestinian state as part of a revitalized peace process aimed at achieving a two-state solution.
The UK's new Foreign Secretary David Lammy repeated his support for international efforts to establish an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, as well as the release of all Israeli captives. He vowed that he would "get to work with tireless diplomacy" to achieve those two goals.
