The UK government has yet to confirm whether it will review arms sales to Israel, despite ongoing speculation. According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, Israeli officials anticipated that the British government would “likely announce it will suspend issuing export licences for arms sales to Israel in the coming days.”
However, The Times reports that no decision has been made, and ministers are expected to delay action until later this summer. The potential suspension may focus on specific weapons suspected of being linked to war crimes, though no official timeline has been provided.
In his swearing-in ceremony on July 15, Attorney General Richard Hermer KC, a senior Jewish figure in Sir Keir Starmer’s government, stated that the government would “seek to promote international law and the rule of law in the international legal order.”
This sentiment was echoed by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who, in a July 19 parliamentary speech, announced the restoration of funding to the controversial Palestinian UN agency Unrwa.
Lammy confirmed that officials were instructed to review Israel’s compliance with international law, emphasizing, “Our commitment to international law is clear, and we are following the necessary processes.”
Arms sales to Israel constitute a small portion of British exports—£18.2 million out of a total £3.4 billion last year.
