British MPs export weapons to Israel to barbecue minister | arms trade

Three ministers responsible for Israel’s arms exports have been called by a parliamentary committee to explain possible loopholes in the rules.

Liam Byrne, chairman of the Business Options Committee, ordered Trade Minister Douglas Alexander and relevant ministers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense, and provided emergency explanations.

Members of MPs are concerned that weapons companies may use part of the nature of the arms export ban imposed by the UK last September to send weapons to Israel for use in Gaza in violation of the minister's commitment.

Byrne in his letter raised concerns about the statistics released on Friday, which showed that in the fourth quarter of 2024 - a ban on partial arms exports by Labor on Israel was imposed - the British government approved a £127.6 million license to Israel for military equipment approval. According to the campaign against arms trade, this is greater than the total in 2020-23.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy challenged the numbers for independent labor MP Zarah Sultana in the House of Commons on Tuesday, saying he did not recognize the number and accused her of sensation on the issue. He assured members of Congress that “weapons have not reached Israel that can be used in Gaza.”

However, the latest data shows that the government's end users in Israel have authorized more than £61 million in military commodity issuance licenses. This includes merchandise category licenses covering target systems, ammunition and military aircraft parts.

Byrne stated in his letter that the ministers assured that the ban covered “the equipment we evaluated was used in the current conflict in Gaza, such as important components of entering military aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters and drones, as well as items that promote ground targets.”

He asked for explanations on the increase in Israeli states and the proportion of weapons.

In addition, he requested the release of statistics on the number of licenses that have been changed to remove Israel as an end user.

The High Court last week conducted a four-day judicial review of the UK's claims that the UK's legal sale of components of F-35 fighter jets to Israel is legal, even if the recognized minister approved the transfer of these parts to the aircraft to blow up Gaza.

Meanwhile, labor MPs and human rights groups welcomed Lammy’s intensification of Gaza’s lockdown on Gaza on Tuesday, but nearly every labour shift spoke at the 90-minute meeting will express anger, showing ministers’ moratorium on the expansion of free trade with Israel and hinted in unspecified circumstances.