UK suspends some licenses for arms exports to Israel

The United Kingdom government has announced it will suspend some arms export licenses to Israel due to humanitarian law concerns, a move Israel has criticized as rewarding Hamas.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated it will not be a full arms embargo, but affect around 30 of 350 existing licenses following a two-month review.

The decision stems from concerns about the treatment of Palestinian detainees and restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza, amid ongoing conflict in the region.

Lammy said the review, commissioned immediately after the Labour Party's landslide election victory in July, found a "clear risk" the arms might be used to commit "a serious violation of international humanitarian law".

In his statement to the House of Commons on Monday, Lammy emphasized the government's legal duty to review arms export licenses amid the Gaza conflict.

He clarified this was a suspension of 30 licenses for components of military aircraft, helicopters, and drones. Lammy noted that the review conducted by the UK government could not "arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law" in Gaza.

"This is a forward-looking evaluation, not a determination of innocence or guilt, and it does not prejudge any future determinations by the competent courts," he said.

The suspension excludes components for multinational F-35 fighter jets, raising concerns among opposition politicians and human rights organizations, reported Sky News.

He said: "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."

Lammy added that the decision remains under review, and affirmed that "the UK continues to support Israel's right to self-defense in accordance with international law".

Some opposition Conservative Party lawmakers accused the government of having made the decision in response to demands from pro-Palestinian activists, reported the Telegraph newspaper.

Andrew Mitchell, the shadow foreign secretary, claimed the move 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".

Conservative Party leadership candidate Robert Jenrick called it "shameful gesture politics to appease the hard left".

Jewish community leaders in the UK expressed strong opposition to the government's decision.

The Jewish Leadership Council stated Lammy's decision "could place in jeopardy the long-standing defense and intelligence partnership between the UK and Israel, which is key to the UK's own security".

A senior Israeli official told the Telegraph the UK decision was a "reward for Hamas". Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also criticized the UK's decision.

An estimated 350,000 Israelis protested in Tel Aviv on Sunday after it became known that Hamas had executed six hostages. The protestors blamed Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for rejecting potential deals that could have saved the hostages.