UK MPs question continued arms exports to 'Israel' despite suspension
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Some 40 UK MPs urge the government to clarify reports of weapons exports to "Israel" despite license suspensions, following explosive revelations by The Guardian.
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An Israeli air force F-35 war plane flies over the military cemetery in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Sunday, May 12, 2024 (AP)
Forty British members of parliament have called on the UK government to explain reports that military exports to "Israel" have continued despite the official suspension of key arms export licenses.
In a letter addressed to the Foreign Secretary, the MPs expressed concern that Parliament may have been misled about the true extent of British military support to the Israeli occupation.
They urged immediate clarification on whether weapons and ammunition continue to flow in violation of the stated export freeze.
The letter follows a Wednesday report by The Guardian, which revealed that new analysis of "Israeli" trade data shows British companies have exported thousands of military items and munitions to "Israel", even after London announced the suspension of arms licenses.
Corbyn slams UK government
Independent MP and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also weighed in, posting on X: "It's quite simple. You cannot say you oppose Israel's plan for the mass ethnic cleansing of Gaza if you keep providing them with the weapons they need to carry it out."
He added that the UK government’s refusal to halt all arms sales to "Israel" was "becoming more egregious by the day."
Last month, Corbyn had co-authored a separate letter with 37 other MPs from across the political spectrum, accusing the UK of complicity in supporting "Israeli" military operations.
That document detailed Britain's involvement through arms sales, intelligence sharing, and the provision of military facilities via Royal Air Force bases located in the Greek Cypriot-administered area.
UK caught in 'Israel' arms scandal
The UK government is facing accusations of dishonesty after an investigation revealed that thousands of weapons were shipped to "Israel", despite a declared suspension of arms exports. The disclosures have prompted demands for transparency, a formal inquiry, and even potential resignations.
The revelations stem from an in-depth review of Israeli customs data by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressive International, and Workers for a Free Palestine, in findings first reported by The Guardian. The data appear to undermine repeated assurances from Foreign Secretary David Lammy that British arms exports to "Israel" were “defensive in nature” and unrelated to Israeli military operations in Gaza.
In September 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government suspended 29 arms export licences over concerns that UK-made equipment could be used in violations of international humanitarian law. However, more than 200 licences remained active, including those linked to the F-35 fighter jet programme, which the government claimed were necessary for national security and NATO obligations.
14 separate military shipments bound to 'Israel'
Despite the suspension, the new investigation found that at least 14 separate military shipments had been made from the UK to "Israel" since October 2023, 13 by air to Ben Gurion Airport and one by sea to Haifa. The maritime shipment alone contained 160,000 military items. Notably, since the suspension in September, 8,630 items categorised as “bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles and similar munitions of war” were reportedly sent.
Four additional shipments included 146 items classified under a category for “tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles” and their parts, casting further doubt on whether the UK is upholding its own arms control commitments.
Monthly transfers of aircraft parts also appear to have continued, despite government claims that F-35-related exports were routed only to the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, not directly to "Israel".
