Exclusive: UK expected to restrict arms sales to Israel and drop ICC objection
The UK is expected to introduce restrictions on arms sales to Israel, Middle East Eye can reveal. It is also expected to drop its objection to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for senior Israeli leaders.
Well-informed sources within the Labour Party told Middle East Eye that in the coming days the government is likely to introduce some restrictions on arms sales but not suspend sales entirely.
The development comes after Foreign Secretary David Lammy said last week that he requested a comprehensive review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law on his first day in office.
Sources told MEE that the announced restrictions are likely to be on the sale of offensive weapons. The foreign secretary told MPs last week that given the attacks by the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas on Israel, it would “not be right to have a blanket ban between our countries”.
He suggested he was looking at offensive weapons Israel could use in Gaza as part of the review he had ordered.
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More than 100 UK export licences for the sale of weapons, military equipment and other controlled items to Israel have been approved since October 2023.
The Department for Business and Trade filed an affidavit at the High Court in January which showed that the government unit overseeing arms exports had identified 28 licences and 28 pending applications for licences for equipment marked as “most likely to be used by the IDF in an offensive operations in Gaza”.
This equipment could be targeted by any new restrictions on arms sales.
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, told MEE: “The possible steps that the UK government may be taking into arms sales to Israel will be very welcome if they pose a meaningful restriction to the sale of those arms and in any way inhibits the Israeli ability to carry them out.”
Washington has previously threatened to suspend offensive weapons transfers to Israel. In May, US President Joe Biden threatened to do so if Israel launched a full-scale invasion of Rafah in Gaza, although he did not go ahead with the measures.
Last week, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is unlawful and should be brought to an end “as rapidly as possible”.
It said that member states of the ICJ, which include the UK, have a duty to “take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel”.
This has led to renewed calls on the government to suspend arms sales to Israel.
Zaki Sarraf, legal officer at the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, said: “There are indications that the UK government may restrict arms sales to Israel and withdraw their objections to ICC arrest warrants. These steps must be implemented without delay.
“Anything less would render the UK complicit in Israel’s extensive war crimes against Palestinians. To uphold justice and international law, immediate action is not just necessary to save lives—it’s imperative.”
Katie Fallon, advocacy manager at Campaign Against Arms Trade, told MEE that any suspension of arms exports must include “the UK’s significant contribution to F-35 and F-16 jets which are currently dropping bombs on Gaza”.
This includes supplying the jets “via the US or other countries on ‘open’ or ‘incorporation’ licences, as is currently the case.”
'An opportunity'
The UK is also expected in the coming days to drop its objection to the ICC’s decision on whether an arrest warrant can be issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to well-informed sources within the Labour Party.
Under the previous Conservative government, the UK filed a request on 10 June to provide written information arguing that since Palestinian authorities do not have jurisdiction over Israeli nationals under the Oslo Accords, they cannot transfer jurisdiction to the ICC. On 27 June, ICC judges ruled the UK can submit legal arguments in the case
Labour officials were briefed days after the election that the new government believes the ICC has jurisdiction over Gaza, but this was followed by reports that the US was lobbying Labour to not to drop the legal challenge.
On 15 July, Israeli news outlets reported that the UK had assured Israel it will maintain its objection.
Doyle told MEE that the Labour government should demonstrate its commitment to international law by allowing the court to “make its decisions free from political interference”.
“It’s also very important that Britain demonstrates that it is not in any way going to continue to be complicit in what’s going on in Gaza, as has hitherto been the case,” he added.
“It is an opportunity for this government to actually end that complicity. And it sends a signal that I hope that other countries will follow.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told MEE: "A review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law is ongoing."
The office also pointed MEE to a comment from the prime minister's spokesperson on Thursday regarding the ICC.
"On the ICC, we’ve also spoken consistently about the importance of the independence of both the prosecutor and the court. It is for the prosecutor and the court to make a decision," the spokesperson said.
"Now, with regard to the previous government’s proposals around a submission, we are looking at that but I don’t have any further updates."
These developments come as Labour has faced increasing pressure by civil society and human rights groups to suspend arms sales to Israel.
Senior politicians in the party have expressed concern that Labour lost seats at the recent general election due to discontent among voters, especially British Muslims, over the party’s early support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
Five independent MPs were elected at the recent general election on a pro-Gaza platform.
Over 39,000 Palestinians have been killed and 90,257 wounded in Gaza as a result of Israel’s ongoing assault on the besieged enclave.
Thousands more Palestinians are missing and presumed dead under the rubble following Israeli attacks.
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