Israel has accused the UK of rewarding Hamas terrorists after it announced plans to suspend some arms export licences.
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, told MPs a two-month review had found a “clear risk” that UK arms may be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law.
He said Britain would immediately suspend 30 arms export licences to Israel, including components for military aircraft, helicopters and drones.
On Monday night, a senior Israeli official told The Telegraph the UK decision was a “reward for Hamas”, coming on the same day as the burial of six hostages executed by the terrorist organisation during the weekend.
It also prompted a backlash in the UK, where MPs accused the Government of having made the decision in response to demands from pro-Palestinian activists.
There were reports on Monday night of friction with the US over the decision. Washington has said there is no basis for a suspension of arms exports.
But US administration official pointed to different legal standards over arms sales in the UK and suggested there was no animosity between the White House and Downing Street over the decision.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defence minister, said: “This comes at a time when we fight a war on seven different fronts – a war that was launched by a savage terrorist organisation, unprovoked.
“At a time when we mourn six hostages who were executed in cold blood by Hamas inside tunnels in Gaza. At a time when we fight to bring 101 hostages home.”
A senior Israeli official told The Telegraph that Israel was “furious” with the decision that the UK should think about the “signal it sends to the world” two days after hostages were executed.
Israel Katz, the foreign minister, said: “A step of the type taken by Britain now sends a very problematic message to the terrorist organisation Hamas and its agents in Iran.”
Yaakov Amidror, a former national security advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said it “was another example of ignorance, anti-Semitism and a rotten moral attitude”. He added: “This is not about Israel, but about the UK.”
Asked on Monday night to define his vision of victory in the war, Mr Netanyahu said: “I would define the end of the war when Hamas no longer rules Gaza. We throw them out.”
He also revealed he had asked the families of the murdered hostages for forgiveness, saying: “We were close, but we didn’t achieve it. Hamas will pay a very heavy price for this.”
During the general election campaign, Labour faced pressure from pro-Palestinian campaigners to take a tougher stance on Israel to win seats with large Muslim populations.
Five constituencies previously held by Labour MPs were taken by pro-Gaza independents. On Monday, the independents – including Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader – formed an “Independent Alliance” to boost their voice in the Commons.
On Monday night, Conservatives accused the Government of “appeasing” the hard Left with the arms sale decision.
Robert Jenrick, who is standing for the Tory leadership, said: “This is shameful gesture politics to appease the hard Left. Britain should be standing with our ally Israel as it defends itself, and the world, against Iran’s war of state-sponsored terrorism.”
Andrew Mitchell, the shadow foreign secretary, claimed the step had “all the appearance of something designed to satisfy Labour’s backbenchers, while at the same time not offending Israel, an ally in the Middle East. I fear it will fail on both counts”.
Government sources insisted the security assessment leading up to the decision was taken by the same officials, and using the same parameters, as under the Tories. However, it could make it easier for Mr Lammy to avoid an embarrassing defeat over Gaza policy at this month’s Labour Party conference.
Announcing the decision to MPs, he said: “It is with regret that I inform the House today that the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
“I have informed the Business and Trade Secretary, and he is therefore today announcing the suspension of around 30 from a total of approximately 350 to Israel, as required under the Export Control Act. These include equipment that we assess is for use in the current conflict in Gaza.”
While pro-Gaza MPs welcomed the move, a spokesman for Labour Friends of Israel said: “We are deeply concerned by the signal this sends to Iran, the world’s leading sponsor of state terrorism and Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in Ukraine.”
Phil Rosenberg, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “We have relayed our deep concern to the Government at the highest levels about the decision, and its timing today, to institute a partial arms sales suspension against Israel.”
Mr Lammy asked his department’s lawyers to review advice on arms exports to Israel on the day he became Foreign Secretary.
The Foreign Office is understood to have concluded there is a risk of violations in the areas of humanitarian provision and access and treatment of detainees. There was not enough evidence to draw a definitive conclusion about Israel’s campaign in Gaza, but the scale of destruction and civilian suffering raised serious concerns.
The suspensions represent one tenth of the 350 UK arms licences to Israel.
Lord Polak, honorary president of Conservative Friends of Israel, said Mr Lammy’s announcement was “appalling”. He added: “On the one hand they are saying they support Israel’s right to defend itself, but on the other they are deciding to tie one hand behind Israel’s back. Britain is supposed to be a friend of Israel.”
The Jewish Leadership Council said Mr Lammy’s decision “could place in jeopardy the long-standing defence and intelligence partnership between the UK and Israel, which is key to the UK’s own security.”
Despite the anger in Israel at the decision, it is not believed the country is planning a diplomatic reaction.
The UK has exported arms worth over £576 million to Israel since 2008, issuing 108 arms export licences between October 7 2023 and May31 this year.
The export, which totalled £18.2 million in 2023, ranges from components for submarines, helicopters, F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, as well as non-military equipment, such as telecommunications and chemical manufacturing equipment.
The F-35s are particularly important as they give Israel’s military air superiority in the region, being the only country in the Middle East to possess the fighters.
While Israel imports some 69 per cent of its arms from the US and less than one per cent from the UK, Giora Eiland, the former head of the Israeli National Security Council, told The Telegraph that the arms embargo could have “critical implications” and long-lasting effects for the Israeli army.
“It might create a delay of months or even more,” said Mr Eiland. “For Israel, it’s very severe.”
On Monday, Joe Biden accused Mr Netanyahu of not doing enough to reach a hostage deal as thousands of demonstrators shut down parts of Israel. The US president said a final deal to release Israelis held by Hamas was “very close”, but added that Mr Netanyahu was not doing enough to bring it over the line.
Thousands of Israelis held a protest over Mr Netanyahu’s failure to free all Israeli prisoners in Gaza on Monday amid a nationwide strike. The general strike, announced by the Histadrut worker’s union, shut down kindergartens, banks, universities, the airport and many businesses.
The Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, said: “It beggars belief that the British Government, a close strategic ally of Israel, has announced a partial suspension of arms licences, at a time when Israel is fighting a war for its very survival on seven fronts forced upon it on Oct 7, and at the very moment when six hostages murdered in cold blood by cruel terrorists were being buried by their families.
“Sadly, this announcement will serve to encourage our shared enemies. It will not help to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages, nor contribute to the peaceful future we wish and pray for, for all people in the region and beyond.
“Britain and Israel have so much to gain by standing together against our common enemies for the sake of a safer world. Surely that must be the way forward,” he added.
