Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated on Tuesday that the British government has determined it can continue supplying Israel with weaponry, defying calls to halt exports due to allegations of humanitarian breaches in Gaza.
During a visit to Washington, Cameron stated, "I have now reviewed the most recent advice about the situation in Gaza and Israel's conduct of their military campaign." He was speaking about Israel and international humanitarian law, as well as being compliant with the UK's strict arms export control regime.
Our view on export licenses is unaffected by the most recent review, he said. He said at a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, "Let me be clear, though: we continue to have grave concerns around the humanitarian access issue in Gaza."
Though growing dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the conflict has led to calls for a suspension of shipments, the United States, by far the biggest supplier of weaponry to Israel, has declined. Seven relief workers with World Central Kitchen were killed last week in an Israeli strike that the military called an accident, including three Britons and one dual citizen of the US and Canada.
More than 600 British attorneys, including former justices of the Supreme Court, warned in a recent letter that Britain ran the risk of breaking international law if it continued to provide arms to Israel. According to Britain's strategic licensing standards, weapons that pose a "clear risk" of being used in violations of international humanitarian law are not to be transferred.
Arms control organizations claim that since 2015, London has authorized approximately 487 million pounds ($614 million) in weapon sales to Israel using "single-issue licenses," while businesses export more through open licenses. In a case before the International Court of Justice, Germany—another significant supplier of weaponry to Israel—is accused by Nicaragua of violating the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, which was established in the wake of the Holocaust.
Germany claimed that Nicaragua's record had been "grossly distorted" and that Berlin's foreign policy was centered on its support for Israel.
