Does the UK still sell arms to Israel?

Leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada have released a joint statement calling on the Israeli government to halt its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow for humanitarian aid to enter the territory.

The statement urged the Israeli Government to work with the UN to deliver aid and expressed opposition to “any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank.” It also called on Hamas to immediately release the remaining hostages.

“Israel suffered a heinous attack on October 7. We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism. But this escalation is wholly disproportionate,” the statement read.

“We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”

A growing chorus of people want the UK government to stop arming Israel, however, government figures have so far vowed to continue supporting the state. 

However, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the level of suffering in Gaza as “intolerable,” while British foreign secretary, David Lammy, said that Israel’s actions were “monstrous.”

Lammy has suspended trade talks with Israel, following cabinet ministers’ calls to “purify Gaza” by expelling Palestinians.

Here’s everything you need to know about UK arms sales to Israel.

Yes, the UK still allows arms sales to Israel.

The letter delivered to the UK government in March 2024, signed by 107 MPs and 27 peers, stated that “UK-made weapons are being used in Gaza,” including parts of lethal F-16 fighter jets.

“It was likely one of these jets — made with UK parts — that, in January, bombed British doctors at a compound in Gaza,” the letter said.

Companies that want to export military weapons must apply for a UK Government licence.

Studies have found that since 2015, the UK licensed more than £489 million worth of military supplies to Israel. According to the House of Commons library, arms sales data from the UK to Israel after October 7 is unavailable.

Since October 7, there have also been several debates in the House of Commons about UK arms export licences to Israel. In one transcript from December 2023, MPs confirmed that the UK’s defence exports to Israel in 2022 were worth £42m.

According to the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), approved export licences from the UK were for various equipment, including military radar components, electronic warfare equipment, combat aircraft and targeting equipment.

In a review of export licences to Israel from the UK in December 2023, equalities minister Kemi Badenoch chose not to suspend existing licences or stop granting them.

Zarah Sultana, the Labour MP for Coventry South, recently said that other licences had “gone under the radar”. This suggested that the true extent of the UK’s involvement in military licences may be greater.

The CAAT also said: “Israel is using UK arms exports in a genocide against the Palestinian people. The UK Government is complicit in these crimes not just by supplying these weapons for decades, but by repeatedly inciting Israel to commit war crimes against Palestinian civilians with impunity, in retaliation for Hamas’ horrific killings and abductions of Israelis including civilians.”

Although Occupied Palestinian Territories have no official army, many UK politicians have backed Israel’s right to defend itself against Palestinians in the past.

In September, Mr Starmer announced that the government had suspended 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel after finding “clear risk certain military exports to Israel might be used in violations of International Humanitarian Law”.

However, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the UK still supplies components to Israel that are employed in F-35 combat aircraft used to target Gaza.

In February 2024, Canada became the latest country to ban arms sales to Israel. It joined the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, and Belgium, which all blocked weapons exports.

The United States is still reportedly the largest arms exporter, providing 69 per cent of imports of arms to Israel.

At the end of March 2024, the US government approved the sale of billions of dollars of bombs and fighter jets to Israel. This reportedly included 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs that have been linked to mass casualty events.

The United Nations said another major exporter of arms to Israel since October 7 was Germany. Reports show it provided 30 per cent of arms to Israel.