British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced Monday that the UK would be suspending some of its arms sales to Israel.
Lammy made the announcement in Parliament and said that more details of the move would be announced soon.
About 30 out of 350 arms sales licenses will be affected by the move, which comes less than two days after six Israeli hostages were found murdered by their Hamas captors in a tunnel underneath Rafah.
"Facing a conflict such as this, it is this government's legal duty to review Britain's export licences," Lammy said. "This is not a blanket ban, this is not an arms embargo."
He quoted British law as stating that "the government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law. It is with regret that I inform the House today, 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."
Israeli MK Dan Illouz (Likud) said in response to the move, "The UK’s decision to suspend arms export licenses to Israel is a betrayal of the free world. On October 7th, Hamas brutally slaughtered babies in their cribs, burned entire families alive, and murdered children and parents in their homes. IDF soldiers are fighting and sacrificing their lives not just for Israel, but to defend the entire free world. If Israel doesn’t defeat this terror, you will be next. It’s time for the world to wake up."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “Deeply disheartened to learn of the sanctions placed by the U.K. Government on export licenses to Israel’s defense establishment. This comes at a time when we fight a war on 7 different fronts - a war that was launched by a savage terrorist organization, unprovoked. At a time when we mourn 6 hostages who were executed in cold blood by Hamas inside tunnels in Gaza. At a time when we fight to bring 101 hostages home."
"I stand by our troops and security agencies working with immense courage, professionalism and moral values. We remain committed to defending the State of Israel and her people,” Gallant said.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in response, "Israel is disappointed by the British government’s recent series of decisions, including the latest decision regarding security exports to Israel, the British Government’s decision to withdraw its request to submit an amicus brief to the ICC, and its stance on UNRWA, as well as the UK’s recent conduct and statements in the UN Security Council."
"Israel is a law-abiding state that operates in accordance with international law and has an independent and respected judicial system - we expect friendly countries, such as the UK, to recognize this all year-round, especially just days after Hamas terrorists executed six Israeli hostages, during intense negotiations for the release of the hostages and for a ceasefire, and in light of the recent threats by the Iranian regime to attack the State of Israel," Katz said.
He continued, "A step like the one taken by the UK now sends a very problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organization and its backers in Iran."
"We hope that the deep friendship between the UK and Israel, which has been maintained throughout all the years since the founding of the State of Israel, will continue in the future," Katz concluded.