LONDON (AP) — The British government says it is suspending the export of certain weapons to Israel because there is a risk they could be used to violate international law.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Monday there was a “clear risk” that some of the items could be used to “commit or facilitate a serious breach of international humanitarian law.”
He told lawmakers that the decision affected about 30 of the 350 export licenses to Israel and that it was not an arms embargo.
“We do not take this decision lightly,” Lammy said.
Britain is one of Israel’s staunch allies. Its governments are under increasing pressure to halt arms exports due to the fallout from the 11-month war in Gaza.
British companies sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. Earlier this year, the government said military exports to Israel would amount to £42 million ($53 million) in 2022.
The UK’s centre-left Labour government, elected in July, is under pressure from some of its own members and lawmakers to put more pressure on Israel to stop the violence.
In a departure from the position of its Conservative predecessor, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government said in July that the UK would not intervene in the International Criminal Court’s request to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
