What’s happened: the UK has announced that it is suspending 30 arms exports licences to Israel “for use in Gaza over International Humanitarian Law concern.”
- This decision is due to take immediate effect and impacts 30 out of 350 licences. It is the result of a review into International Humanitarian Law compliance commissioned by the Foreign Secretary on his first day in office.
- The list of suspended items includes important components including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items which facilitate ground targeting that would be used in Gaza.
- Parts for F35 jets will be exempted, unless they were to be directly exported to Israel.
- The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has emphasised that the suspension will not change the UK’s steadfast support for Israel’s security, adding that the decision will be kept under review.
- Defence Secretary Healey has said that the suspension of licences “will not have a material impact on Israel’s security”, and the Foreign Secretary has confirmed that “the UK continues to support Israel’s right to self-defence in accordance with international law.”
- Export licences identified as not being for military use in Gaza were identified and confirmed as not requiring suspension.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Katz said the British decision “sends a very problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organisation and its backers in Iran”, adding that Israel was disappointed “by the British government’s recent series of decisions, including the latest decision regarding security exports to Israel…” Katz added that “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 recognise 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.”
Context: While the UK is considered Israel’s second-staunchest western ally after the US, UK arms imports do not represent a substantial part of Israel’s defence procurement.
- In addition to its own sophisticated domestic production, Israel is a substantial importer of arms, at least 70 per cent of which come from the USA. Imports from France, Germany, and Italy also constitute a larger percentage than those from the UK.
- UK arms exports to Israel have been quantified as sitting at only 0.9 per cent of the country’s total.
- Conversely, Israel supplies the UK 2.87 per cent of its arms imports, with sales significantly increasing since 2006 with the escalation of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- UK-Israel defence trade is of mutual benefit, and the relative importance of the trade relationship is arguably greater to the UK military than to the IDF.
- Out of those goods licensed by the UK for export to Israel, a large proportion are for dual use goods for non-military use, or for goods for incorporation in Israel before onward export to a third country.
- Within the military goods, the majority are for components rather than complete systems or sub-systems. Many UK licences for military equipment are for components for incorporation into US-manufactured platforms which were then re-exported to Israel.
- Significant Israeli arms imports include the Hermes-450 UAV, Watchkeeper UAV, and M-113 Spike-NLOS (an Israeli fourth-generation fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge HEAT warhead).
- Elbit Systems UK has won 25 public contracts, totalling more than £355m, since 2012, according to data supplied by Tussell, which provides details on UK government contracts. Elbit also runs a joint venture called Affinity Training with US company KBR. Affinity has a contract with the UK MoD worth £500m over 18 years to train UK pilots at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.
- There is no indication that the UK has ceased, or made any attempt to cease its weapons purchases from Israel during this period.
- For further background on UK – Israel arms trade read our previous research paper here.
Looking ahead: Despite this decision, it is hoped that bilateral Anglo-Israel relations will remain strong and not be significantly impacted.
- While Iran is yet to launch its promised retaliation against Israel for Ismail Haniyeh’s July assassination in Tehran, there is no indication that the UK would not intervene to protect Israeli airspace as it did in April.
- The UK has stressed its continued support for Israel’s security, which the FCDO has described as “steadfast” in its statement on the matter.
This article was originally published by Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre.
