Research Briefing
16 September 2024
By Louisa Brooke-Holland

UK arms exports to Israel

Summary
1 How are licences granted?
2 Statistics on UK arms exports to Israel
3 Actions under the Conservative government, October 2023 toJuly 2024
4 Labour Government policy, from July 2024
5 Previous reviews and suspensions of arms exports to Israel
since 1948

commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Number 09964

UK arms exports to Israel

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UK arms exports to Israel

Contents
Summary

4

1

How are licences granted?

82

Statistics on UK arms exports to Israel

9

2.1

Calls from MPs to release further data in 2024

10

3

Actions under the Conservative government, October 2023 to July
2024

12

3.1

Calls to review arms exports

12

3.2

Decision-making process and legal advice

13

3.3

Decisions taken to not suspend or revoke licences

16

3.4

Parliamentary scrutiny

18

4

Labour Government policy, from July 2024

20

4.1

Commissioning a review of export licences

20

4.2

September 2024: Outcome of review

20

4.3

UK legal cases

245Previous reviews and suspensions of arms exports to Israel since 1948
28

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UK arms exports to Israel

Summary
During the 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict, some MPs in the UK Parliament
have raised concerns about UK arms exports to Israel, citing a risk that they
could be used to violate international humanitarian law.
Following several reviews between October 2023 and May 2024 carried out
under the UK’s arms export criteria, the Conservative government concluded
that no licences needed to be suspended or revoked.
Upon taking office in July 2024 the Labour government undertook a fresh
review. On 2 September, the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, announced
the suspension of around 30 licences, out of about 350, to Israel. He said
that “for certain exports” the government had concluded there was a “clear
risk” they “might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation ofinternational humanitarian law”.
This briefing provides information on current UK arms exports to Israel, thearms export licensing system, reviews of licences to Israel, and the UK andinternational response to the September 2024 decision. It also includes an
overview of UK arms suspensions to Israel since 1948.

Current conflict
On 7 October 2023 the Palestinian group Hamas, officially designated aterrorist group by many countries including Israel, the United States, theEuropean Union and the United Kingdom, commenced an armed assault
against Israel. In response, Israel launched air and ground attacks against
Hamas in Gaza. Fighting is ongoing.

Licensing UK arms exports and their value toIsraelAll applications for a licence to export military equipment and related items
from the UK are assessed against the UK’s strategic export licencing criteria.
One of the criteria used by the government when assessing applications toexport strategically controlled goods (arms) states that it will “not grant alicence if it determines there is a clear risk that the items might be used tocommit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law”.
Arms export licences are regularly reviewed, says the government.

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UK arms exports to Israel

UK exports of military goods to Israel are low. The primary sources of arms
for Israel are the United States and Germany. The UK Government granted
licences valued at £42 million in 2022 which, it said, was less than 1% ofIsrael’s defence imports. The value of exports dropped to £18 million in
2023. The government granted 108 licences for military and non-militarycontrolled goods to Israel between 7 October 2023 and 31 May 2024,
according to data released in June 2024.
The UK does not export military equipment to the Palestinian Authority. The
UK designates Hamas as a terrorist group and applies sanctions against it.
This briefing does not address allegations of violations of IHL. The following
Library briefings discuss the UK’s response to the current conflict and reflect
the change of government in the UK in July 2024:•

Israel-Hamas conflict: UK response October 2023 to July 2024•

Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: UK response to theconflict since July 2024

Two organisations have also been seeking a judicial review of thegovernment’s decision-making process with a view to ending arms exports to
Israel. The application pre-dates the September 2024 announcement.
Proceedings are ongoing.

Conservative government reviews of exports
Following the outbreak of conflict in October 2023, the Conservative
government conducted reviews of pending and existing arms exports
licences to Israel.
The government identified 28 existing licences (PDF) involving equipment“which was most likely to be used by the [Israeli Defence Forces, IDF] inoffensive operations in Gaza”. These included components for: combat
aircraft, utility helicopters, armoured personnel carriers, naval vessels,
radars and targeting equipment.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) also set up a
dedicated team (PDF) to assess Israel’s commitment and capability tocomply with international humanitarian law (IHL).
In December 2023 the then Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, decided that
he was “satisfied that there was good evidence to support a judgment that
Israel is committed to comply[ing] with IHL”. He recommended that theBusiness and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, should not suspend or revoke
licences but should keep them under review. On 18 December, the Businessand Trade Secretary agreed with that recommendation.

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UK arms exports to Israel

After further reviews, in April and May 2024, the Foreign Secretary andBusiness and Trade Secretary made a fresh decision to not change thegovernment’s position and to continue to grant licences.

The Labour Government review, 2024
On taking office in July 2024, the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy,commissioned an up-to-date assessment of “Israel’s compliance withinternational humanitarian law in the context of war in Gaza”.
On 2 September 2024, Mr Lammy announced the suspension of 30 licences
to Israel. These include components for fighter aircraft (F-16s), parts for
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones), naval systems, and targeting
equipment.
Licences are permitted for items which the government assesses are not for
military use in the Israel-Hamas conflict. These include items such as trainer
aircraft and naval equipment, and dual-use items for civilian use in telecomsand data equipment.
Mr Lammy also said the decision would not affect the F-35 programme that
supplies aircraft to more than 20 countries (except where components godirectly to Israel, which are included in the action). Mr Lammy said the global
F-35 supply chain is “vital for the security of the UK, our allies and NATO”.
Mr Lammy said he had decided to suspend licences because he had
concluded that for certain UK arms exports to Israel “there exists a clear riskthat they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation ofinternational humanitarian law”.

Suspension of some arms and not an arms embargo
Mr Lammy told the Commons that the UK’s action was not a “blanket ban or
an arms embargo” because Israel must have the right to defend itself against
Hezbollah (based in Lebanon), the Houthis (based in Yemen) and Hamas. Mr
Lammy said that the UK continues to support Israel’s right to self-defence, inline with international law, and that the “point of the process” is “in no way
to punish Israel, but to make sure that our export licensing regime remains
among the most robust in the world”.

Reaction to the licence suspensions
Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell welcomed the publication of asummary of the decision-making process. However, he criticised the timingof the announcement, which followed the deaths of six hostages in Gaza and6

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UK arms exports to Israel

the deployment of UK forces to defend Israel from Iranian attack. Mr
Mitchell said that he “feared” the decision would “offend Israel”.
The Liberal Democrats have called for arms exports to be suspended. Foreign
Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran welcomed the Foreign Secretary’s
announcement as a “step forward” but said the decision should have also
included an assessment of Israel’s use of UK-supplied equipment in the WestBank as well as Gaza.
The SNP had also called for arms exports to be suspended. The SNP
welcomed the decision but said that the number of licences suspended was“far too limited a response” and called for the advice and legal assessmenton why the other licences remain to be published.
The campaign groups Campaign Against Arms Trade and War on Want issued
a joint statement welcoming the announcement but said it did not go far
enough and called on the government to end the exports of components for
F-35 aircraft “that will then be sold to Israel”.

International response
The Israeli Government criticised the suspension of licences. Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “shameful” and the Foreign
Minister, Israel Katz, said Israel “operates in accordance with international
law […] and expect ally nations like Britain to recognise that”.
The United States said it would not comment on the UK decision, but would
continue to support Israel’s defensive capabilities. The White House said that“there’s been no determination by the United States that they [Israel] haveviolated international humanitarian law”.

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UK arms exports to Israel

1

Further information
can be found in
Library briefings:
An introduction to
UK arms exports
UK amends its
criteria for arms
exports

How are licences granted?

Any UK company wanting to export military or dual-use (that could havemilitary or civilian use) goods to other states must apply for a licence fromthe government to do so.
A list of items which require a licence for export is set out in the UK Strategic
Export Control Lists (also known as the consolidated list). This list includes
equipment, software and technology.
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) is responsible for processing licenceapplications. The unit sits within the Department for Business and Trade, andit draws together expertise from the Foreign, Commonwealth andDevelopment Office (FCDO) and the Ministry of Defence. The Secretary ofState for Business and Trade is responsible for arms export controls.
The ECJU assesses licence applications against the UK Strategic Export
Licensing Criteria. These reflect, among other things, the UK’s obligations
under international law, and if it determines there is a clear risk that theitems might be used to “commit or facilitate” internal repression or a serious
violation of international humanitarian law (criteria 2a and 2c). 1
The UK Government has said that arms export licences are kept under“continual” review:
Decisions on export licensing are based on the UK's Strategic Export Licensing
Criteria. The Government's export licences are kept under careful andcontinual review, and we can amend, suspend or revoke extant licences, orrefuse new licence applications, where they are inconsistent with thesecriteria. 2128

Commons Library briefing, UK arms
See for example PQ13287 [L3Harris: F-35 aircraft], 13 February 2024; See also: HL192 [Arms Trade:
Israel], 8 February 2024; PQ12824 [Arms Trade: Israel], 8 February 2024; and previous examples:
PQ15431 [Turkey: Arms trade], 22 June 2021; PQ181106 [Ethiopia: Arms trade], 19 April 2021;
HL2262 [Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia], 26 October 2016

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UK arms exports to Israel

2

Statistics on UK arms exports to Israel

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), a UK-based pressure group thatseeks an end to the global arms trade, has created a searchable databaseusing government data on export licences. CAAT data shows the UK granted
licences worth £576 million for companies to export to Israel since 2008, thefirst year that country-level data was made available.
A significant proportion of this total was in 2017, when £221 million worth oflicences were approved.3 CAAT says the single biggest licence in value, worth£182 million, was issued in October 2017 for “technology for militaryradars”. 4
Analysis by CAAT shows that many of the licences granted were forcomponents for military radars, electronic warfare and targeting equipment.
Licences were also granted for components of aircraft and helicopters. 5
In January 2023, the government published a list of licences granted,
rejected or revoked to Israel between July 2017 and June 2022 in response
to a request by the Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls.6
In 2022, the government granted 114 standard individual export licences to
Israel for military goods valued at £42 million. 7 Alan Mak, then Minister for
Industry and Economic Security, told the Commons Business and Trade
Committee that this was 0.15% of the UK’s total export licences in 2022 andless than 1% of Israel’s defence imports.8
In 2023, the government granted 72 standard individual and incorporated
licences for military goods with a combined value of £18.2 million. 9

3

4
5

6

7
8

9

9

Campaign Against Arms Trade, UK export licence data: Israel, 2008 to present, accessed 12
February 2024
Campaign Against Arms Trade, Country profiles: Israel, accessed 12 February 2024
Campaign Against Arms Trade, UK export licence data: Israel, 2008 to present, accessed 12
February 2024
Committees on Arms Exports Controls, Developments in UK Strategic Export Controls –Government response [PDF], CP 775, 9 January 2023
HC Deb 30 November 2023 c1050
Business and Trade Committee, Oral evidence: UK arms exports to Israel, HC 690, 21 May 2024,
Q46
Department for Business and Trade, Strategic export controls: licensing statistics 1 January to
December 2023, 13 June 2024, table 1. Incorporation SIELs are for goods that are due to beincorporated, that is, installing them into another product or higher-level system. For
incorporation cases there are two end-user types. The ‘end user’ is the person/organisation
incorporating the goods. The ‘ultimate end user’ is defined as the entity that uses the product or
the higher-level system into which the exported goods are installed or incorporated.

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UK arms exports to Israel

1 How to find data on arms exports
The Department for Business and Trade publishes data on the number oflicences issued, refused, rejected or revoked to individual countries on aquarterly and annual basis. A searchable database provides information on
specific licence types, destinations and goods.
The amounts given when quoting export licences do not indicate the actual
value of exports shipped, only the value of goods that licence holders areallowed to export. Nor does the data identify the company granted thelicence or the exact item being exported.
Codes are used to denote broad categories of items. For example, code
ML10 refers to aircraft, components for aircraft and related equipment.
The government does not publish data on the value of goods exported underopen licences, which allow an exporter to export multiple shipments ofspecified items to specified destinations. Generally, the quantity of goods
allowed for shipment is not limited.
Commons Library briefing UK arms exports: statistics explains more about
the different type of licences issued, what data on arms exports is available
and what it tells us.

2.1

Calls from MPs to release further data in 2024
On 4 April 2024 the Chair of the Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne,
wrote to the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, and the Business and Trade
Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, asking for the data for licences granted since
October 2023 to be published. Mr Byrne said:
The Committee would find it unacceptable to receive a response stating that
it will have to wait for their publication, because the Government has alreadyincluded some of this information in its submission to the recent Judicial
Review application. 10

On 25 April, the Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, declined his
request, explaining in response that publishing such data would pre-empt
official statistics on arms exports published quarterly by her department:
To provide comprehensive statistics in advance of the Official Statistics
publication would undermine our commitments to provide high quality,
reliable and valuable statistics, equally available to all, that are released in an

10

Business and Trade Committee, letter from the chair to the Secretary of State for Business andTrade, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs [PDF], 4 April 2024

10

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israelorderly and transparent way, in line with the Statistics and Registration
Service Act 2007 and the Code of Practice for Statistics. 11

In an oral evidence session with ministers on 21 May, Liam Byrne said thedelay to the publication of quarterly statistics was “completely
unacceptable”. 12 In response Alan Mak, the Minister for Industry andEconomic Security, said that because of committee and media interest, he
had asked his officials to prepare an ad hoc data release on an “exceptional
basis”. 13 This information was published on 11 June 2024.

Data on arms exports since 7 October 2023
On 11 June 2024 the government published as an ad hoc bulletin data on
licences granted to Israel during the period 7 October 2023 and 31 May
2024. According to this bulletin, as at 31 May 2024 there were 14:•345 extant (existing) licences: 290 extant standard individual export
licences (SIELs), 51 open individual export licences (OIELs) and four open
individual trade control licences (OITCLs). This includes licences thatwere issued prior to 7 October 2023.15•

185 licence applications in progress: 155 SIELs, 27 OIELS and 3 OITCLs.

Between 7 October 2023 and 31 May 2024 16:•42 licences were issued: 37 SIELs and 5 OIELs (for military goods). (thesefigures are included in the above total)

On 13 June 2024, the government published the quarterly statistics for thelast two periods in 2023, including statistics from 1 October to 31 December
2023.
Arms exports data publications, including quarterly and annual statistics, andthe ad hoc bulletin mentioned above, can be found on gov.uk.

11

12
13
14
15

16

11

Business and Trade Committee, Letter to the chair from the Secretary of State for Business andTrade [PDF], dated 25 April 2024
Business and Trade Committee, UK arms exports to Israel – oral evidence, 21 May 2024
Business and Trade Committee, UK arms exports to Israel – oral evidence, 21 May 2024
Department for Business and Trade, Export control licensing data: 31 May 2024, 11 June 2024
There are several types of licence issued for the export of strategic goods depending on the typeand volume of goods being exported, the destination and who will be using the goods. The mostcommon type of licence issued are permanent Standard Individual Exports Licences (SIELs). Openlicences are generally less restrictive and do not limit the quantity of goods that can be exported.
Department for Business and Trade, Export control licensing data: 31 May 2024, 11 June 2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

3

Actions under the Conservative
government, October 2023 to July 2024

This section focuses on reviews of arms exports and decisions taken by theConservative government in response to the events in Gaza following
Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 until the UK general election on 4
July 2024.
During this period, the government conducted reviews of arms exports
licences to Israel. On three occasions, in December 2023, April and May
2024, the government judged that no licences needed to be suspended or
revoked and to continue to grant licences.
Lord Cameron, then Foreign Secretary, suggested that suspending arms sales“would make Hamas stronger and make a hostage deal less likely”. 17
As set out in section 2.1 (above) the government did publish bespoke dataon exports to Israel in response to requests from MPs.

3.1

Calls to review arms exports
Israel’s military action in Gaza since 7 October 2023 prompted calls by MPs
and opposition parties to review and consider suspending existing arms
export licences to Israel. 18
The Labour Party did not call for a suspension but pressed repeatedly on thequestion of the legal advice received by the government. 19 David Lammy,
then Shadow Foreign Secretary, called for clarity on whether the legal advice
given to the Foreign Secretary said that there “is a clear risk that items
licensed by the UK might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violationof international humanitarian law”.20
In April 2024, Liberal Democrat Leader, Sir Ed Davey, argued that arms sales
to Israel should be suspended following the deaths of seven aid workers.21

17
18
19
20
21

12

UK ban on selling arms to Israel would strengthen Hamas, BBC News, 12 May 2024
See for example HC Deb 12 December 2023 c247-273WH
HC Deb 12 December 2023 c269
HC Deb 7 May 2024 c444; HC Deb 26 March 2024 c1395
Liberal Democrats, Davey calls on government to suspend arms sales to Israel, 3 April 2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

In December 2023, the SNP Defence Spokesperson, Martin DochertyHughes, argued the UK should “cease extending arms licences to the state ofIsrael and to immediately halt the export of weapons or components”.22
Ministers also responded to questions by MPs in the House of Commons andfrom the Business and Trade and the Foreign Affairs select committees, inoral evidence and written correspondence.
Groups such as Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) also called on thegovernment to halt arms exports. CAAT has called on the government to halt
the export of components for the international F-35 combat aircraft systemthat are exported under an open licence. See box in section 4 for more on
the F-35. Two organisations are seeking a judicial review of the government’s
decision-making process. Section 4.3 has more information on this.

3.2

Decision-making process and legal advice
The Conservative government did not release the legal advice it received
which contributed to its decision-making process. It said this reflected thelong-standing government practice.

Review process
The initial action taken by the government following the 7 October attacks
was set out in the government’s submission to the High Court (PDF) in
December 2023.23 This was in response to legal proceedings brought by twoorganisations, the Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and the UKbased Global Legal Action Network (GLAN). 24
Further court documents provided by the government for a hearing on 23
April 2024, as summarised by GLAN, revealed further information about the
government process.25
According to the government’s legal submission, the government undertooka review of export licences to Israel following Hamas’ attack on 7 October
2023. This involved:•

A ‘change in circumstances’ review of extant (existing) and pending
export licences to Israel. Lord Cameron told the Foreign Affairs
Committee that this type of review is self-initiated by the government’s

22

HC Deb, 12 December 2023, c226WH; Scottish Government, Letter to Lord Ahmad, 12 April 2024
GLAN law, Summary Grounds of the Secretary of State [PDF], AC-2023-LON-993634, 12 January
2024
GLAN law, Summary Grounds of the Secretary of State [PDF], AC-2023-LON-993634, 12 January2024
Business and Trade Committee, Letter to the chair from the Secretary of State for Business andTrade [PDF], dated 25 April 2024

23

24

25

13

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UK arms exports to Israel

Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) when “there are significant changes in acountry or region”. 26•

The creation of an International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Compliance
Assessment Process, known as IHLCAP, within the FCDO’s Middle Eastand North Africa Directorate. This was to assess “Israel’s commitment
and capability to comply with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) andits past record of compliance with IHL”. 27

Identification of licences
The change in circumstances review identified 28 extant (existing) licencesand 28 pending applications as involving equipment “which was most likely
to be used by the [Israeli Defence Forces, IDF] in offensive operations inGaza”. 28 Extant licences included components for: combat aircraft, utility
helicopters, armoured personnel carriers, naval vessels, radars and targeting
equipment.
Assessments between October and December 2023
The IHLCAP team produced three assessments in the time period covered by
the legal submission.
Its first assessment, dated 10 November 2023, said the volume of strikes andthe total death toll, including the proportion of those who are children,“raise serious concerns” and said the FCDO was seeking further informationfrom the Israeli Government.
The final assessment, dated 8 December 2023, said the IHLCAP team wassatisfied about Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL)(emphasis as in original):[…] we are satisfied that we do have sufficient information on compliance toinform our overarching view of Israel’s compliance with IHL that the record ofcompliance does not reveal a pattern suggestive of unaddressed underlying
systemic weakness which might undermine other material pointing towards
an ability and willingness to comply with IHL. 29

The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU), which sits in the Department for
Business and Trade and is responsible for assessing export licenceapplications, then presented the Foreign Secretary with three options:
Option 1: Not to suspend or revoke extant licences but to keep them under
careful review;

26

27

28

29

14

Foreign Affairs Committee, Letter from the Foreign Secretary to the chair of the Foreign Affairs
Committee (PDF), dated 9 February 2024
GLAN law, Summary Grounds of the Secretary of State [PDF], AC-2023-LON-993634, 12 January
2024
GLAN law, Summary Grounds of the Secretary of State [PDF], AC-2023-LON-993634, 12 January2024, para 29
As above

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UK arms exports to Israel

Option 2: To suspend extant licences where it is assessed that the items might
be used in carrying out or facilitating IDF military options in the current
conflict;
Option 3: To suspend all extant licences to the IDF. 30

The government’s legal submission explained that on 12 December 2023 theForeign Secretary, Lord Cameron, decided that he was “satisfied that there
was good evidence to support a judgment that Israel is committed tocomply[ing] with IHL” and decided to recommend option 1 (to not suspendor revoke licences) to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. 31 As
outlined below in section 3.3, the Business and Trade Secretary agreed withthat recommendation.
There were a further five legal assessments of the situation in Gaza between
December 2023 and April 2024, according to GLAN’s summation of
government legal documents submitted to the High Court. 32
Review process informed by previous judicial review
The then Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, also said that the
FCDO’s review of compliance with international humanitarian law was“informed by a methodology adopted by the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office following a request by the Campaign Against Arms Trade in 2017 for a
judicial review of export licensing decisions for Saudi Arabia during theconflict in Yemen”. 33
More information on this methodology and background can be found in
Commons Library briefing UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia: Q&A, 2021.
Assessing criterion 2(c)The government assesses applications for export licences for strategicallycontrolled goods (which are arms and dual-use items) against the UK’s
Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. These reflect, among other things, theUK’s obligations under international law. Criterion 2(c) states:
Having assessed the recipient country’s attitude towards relevant principles
established by instruments of international humanitarian law, theGovernment will: (c) Not grant a licence if it determines there is a clear riskthat the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation ofinternational humanitarian law.

30
31

32

33

15

As above, para 49
GLAN law, Summary Grounds of the Secretary of State [PDF], AC-2023-LON-993634, 12 January2024, para 50
GLAN law, UK arms export challenge revived, expedited and now set for a full hearing in October,
23 April 2024
PQ19288 [Armed conflict: International law], 27 March 2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

In April 2024 the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, set out in a letter to thechair of the Foreign Affairs Committee the methodology used by the FCDO toassess export licences against criterion 2c. 34
Lord Cameron said the methodology draws on open-source evidence,
intelligence, accounts of diplomatic and ministerial engagements, andcorrespondence with the relevant country, saying “the resulting policy
assessments are not ‘legal’ judgements but are informed by legal advice.” Hesaid the evidence base of the assessments includes analysis of:a)

The overall nature and dynamics of the conflict, covering thepolitical, military, humanitarian and human rights context;b)Statements made by credible NGOs [non-governmentalorganisations], international bodies and partner countries relating
to the country’s adherence to IHL;c)

Evidence from the country in question, including statements madeby its government and military representatives, and information
regarding its military structures, processes and training; andd)

The country’s record of compliance, including legal analysis of
specific allegations of IHL violations. 35

The then Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, had called for thegovernment to release its legal advice. 36 In March 2024 the government
indicated it did not intend to publish the assessments because “legal advice
to Ministers and policy assessments related to it are confidential”. 37

3.3

Decisions taken to not suspend or revoke
licences
According to the High Court documents and media coverage, thegovernment decided in December 2023, April and May 2024 to not suspendor revoke any licences and to continue to export arms to Israel.

December 2023
On 18 December 2023, the Business and Trade Secretary, the government
submission to the High Court says, “took the decision not to suspend extant
export licences to Israel, nor to stop granting export licences, but rather to

34
35
36
37

16

Foreign Affairs Committee, Letter from the Foreign Secretary [PDF], dated 15 April 2024
Foreign Affairs Committee, Letter from the Foreign Secretary [PDF], dated 15 April 2024
The Guardian, Lammy says he has “serious concerns” about Israel’s actions in Gaza, 7 April 2024
PQ19287 [Armed conflict: International law], 27 March 2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

keep her decisions about whether or not to grant, revoke, or refuse licences
under careful review”. 38
The government’s legal submission to the High Court explained the Businessand Trade Secretary reached this decision “on the basis of all the evidence
available to her, that there is not at present a clear risk that items exported
to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) might be used to commit or facilitate aserious violation of international humanitarian law”. 39

April 2024
The government made a new decision on exports – to not suspend or revoke– on 8 April 2024, according to GLAN’s summation of government legal
documents submitted to the High Court. 40 The Foreign Secretary made his
recommendation on 3 April, and the Business and Trade Secretary
subsequently decided on 8 April to not suspend any extant licences and tocontinue to grant new licences. 41
On 9 April 2024, Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, said during a trip to
the United States that he had “reviewed the most recent advice” and the“latest assessment leaves our position on export licenses unchanged”.42
The Business and Trade Secretary confirmed to the Commons Business andTrade Committee that she took the decision on 8 April to not change thegovernment’s position on exports to Israel. 43

May 2024
On 31 May 2024, the Guardian newspaper reported a further review had
been completed by the government, for the period up to 24 April, and again
found no reason to suspend arms exports.44 According to the Guardian, agovernment statement said:
As required by the UK’s robust arms export control regime, the foreign
secretary has now reviewed the most recent advice about the situation

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

17

GLAN law, UK arms export challenge revived, expedited and now set for a full hearing in October,
23 April 2024
GLAN law, Summary Grounds of the Secretary of State [PDF], AC-2023-LON-993634, 12 January
2024para 1
GLAN law, UK arms export challenge revived, expedited and now set for a full hearing in October,
23 April 2024
GLAN law, UK arms export challenge revived, expedited and now set for a full hearing in October,
23 April 2024
US State department, Secretary Antony J. Blinken and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David
Cameron at a Joint Press Availability, 9 April 2024
Business and Trade Committee, Letter to the chair from the Secretary of State for Business andTrade [PDF], dated 25 April 2024
The Guardian, New review by UK ministers again finds no reason to stop arms exports to Israel, 31
May 2024

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israel

in Gaza and Israel’s conduct of their military campaign. This assessment
covered the period to 24 April 2024.
The business secretary has therefore decided our position on export licences
remains unchanged. This is consistent with the advice ministers havereceived. As ever, we will keep the position under review. 45

3.4

Parliamentary scrutiny
Select committees
The Committees on Arms Export Controls ceased to exist in January 2024.
This followed a decision between the Business and Trade, Foreign Affairs andInternational Development Committees that core responsibility forparliamentary scrutiny of strategic export controls would rest with theBusiness and Trade Committee. 46
Both this committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee have questioned
ministers about arms exports to Israel in recent oral evidence sessions and in
written correspondence, which can be found on their committee websites.
On 21 May, the Business and Trade Committee heard from Andrew Mitchell,
the Deputy Foreign Secretary, and Alan Mak, Minister for Industry andEconomic Security at the Department for Business and Trade. The committeepressed ministers on the release of statistical data (see section 2.1), thereview process, the F-35 programme among other issues. 47
Following the dissolution of Parliament for the UK general election on 30
May 2024, all committees ceased to exist. Elections for new committee
chairs took place on 11 September 2024. Each political party will now electMPs from their party to serve on select committees.

Debate in the Commons
In 2023 and up to the dissolution of Parliament on 30 May 2024, MPs had
asked the government to consider revoking arms export licences to Israel in
relation to its current conflict with Hamas. Several MPs raised this with theSecretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch, during

45

46

47

18

The Guardian, New review by UK ministers again finds no reason to stop arms exports to Israel, 31
May 2024
Business and Trade, Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees, Joint Special
Report, 23 January 2024, HC 436 23 January 2024
Business and Trade Committee, UK arms exports to Israel – oral evidence, 21 May 2024 (transcript
not available at the time of writing)Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israel

departmental oral questions on 30 November 2023. 48 Zarah Sultana (Lab)also led a debate on arms exports to Israel on 12 December 2023.49
Several debates on the situation in Gaza have been held since then, including
in response to ministerial statements and urgent questions from the Labour
Party, on 26 March 2024, 17 April 2024, 7 May 2024 and 21 May 2024.
The Commons Library research briefing, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories: a parliamentary reading list (2020 to 2024) lists relevant
parliamentary proceedings and committee reports.

Private Members’ bill
Zarah Sultana (Lab) tabled a private member’s bill, the Arms Trade (Inquiry
and Suspension) Bill, calling for an independent inquiry into the end use ofarms sold to foreign states to determine whether they have been used inviolation of international law.
The bill would require the Business and Trade Secretary to immediately
suspend the sale of arms to foreign states where it cannot be demonstrated
that arms sold will not be used in violation of international law.50 The
Dissolution of Parliament on 30 May 2024 meant that the bill made nofurther progress.
Further information on parliamentary scrutiny can be found Library paper
Israel-Hamas conflict: UK response October 2023 to July 2024.

48
49
50

19

HC Deb 30 November 2023 c1049
HC Deb 12 December 2023 c247WH
HC Deb 12 December 2023 c242WH

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UK arms exports to Israel

4

Labour Government policy, from July
2024

4.1

Commissioning a review of export licences
On taking office in July 2024, the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy,commissioned an up-to-date assessment of “Israel’s compliance withinternational humanitarian law in the context of war in Gaza”. 51
Speaking in July, he said a “blanket ban” on arms sales to Israel would not beright, because of the threats that Israel faces from Hamas, Hezbollah, andother armed and terrorist groups in the region. However, he said it was rightto review the use of offensive weapons by Israel in Gaza.52
In opposition, as Shadow Foreign Secretary, Mr Lammy had called for thegovernment to release its legal advice on arms sales. 53 In response to aquestion on whether he would do so now in office, he said his decision onarms exports would be made with “full accountability and transparency”. 54
Also before taking office, Labour had said it did not want UK-supplied arms
to be used in an Israeli offensive in Rafah.55

4.2

September 2024: Outcome of review
On 2 September 2024, Mr Lammy announced the suspension of 30 licences
to Israel to the House of Commons:
It is with regret that I inform the House today that the assessment I havereceived leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that, for certain
UK arms exports to Israel, there exists a clear risk that they might be used tocommit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. 56

Mr Lammy said that it had not been possible to make a “determinative
conclusion” on allegations regarding Israel’s conduct of hostilities:

51
52
53
54
55
56

20

HC Deb 30 July 2024 c1161
HC Deb 19 July 2024 c308
The Guardian, Lammy says he has “serious concerns” about Israel’s actions in Gaza, 7 April 2024
HC Deb 19 July 2024 c307
ITN, Labour expresses concern over Rafah offensive and UK arms, 12 May 2024
HC Deb 2 September 2024 c38

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israelin part because there is insufficient information either from Israel or otherreliable sources to verify such claims. Nevertheless, it is the assessment of His
Majesty’s Government that Israel could reasonably do more to ensure thatlifesaving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza […]The Foreign Secretary also said that there “can be no doubt” that Hamas
does not adhere to international law and embeds itself in the civilian
population and infrastructure. Mr Lammy said that the UK continues tosupport Israel’s right to self-defence, in line with international law, and thatthe “point of the process” is “in no way to punish Israel, but to make surethat our export licensing regime remains among the most robust in theworld”.
He said the UK’s action was not a “blanket ban or an arms embargo” because
Israel must have the right to defend itself against Hezbollah (in Lebanon), theHouthis (in Yemen) and Hamas. Mr Lammy said that the action “will not havea material impact on Israel’s security” adding that the effect of thesuspension is likely to be low because “our arms exports to Israel amount toabout 1% of its arms”. 57

No equivalence between Hamas and Israel
The Foreign Secretary made clear that Hamas pays “not the slightest heed tointernational humanitarian law”, adding that the group “endanger civilians
by embedding themselves in the tightly concentrated civilian population andin civilian infrastructure.” He continued on to say:
There is no equivalence between Hamas terrorists—or indeed Iran and its
partners and proxies—and Israel’s democratic Government, but to licensearms exports to Israel we must assess its compliance with international
humanitarian law, notwithstanding the abhorrence of its opponents’ tactics
and ideology. 58

Information on suspended licences
Following the Foreign Secretary’s statement, the Business and Trade
Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, announced that “approximately 30 export
licences” of the 350 in place to Israel would be suspended. Mr Reynolds said
the 30 licences included “components for fighter aircraft (F-16s), parts for
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), naval systems, and targeting
equipment”.59
No further information has been provided on the licences or equipment.

57
58
59

21

HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c37-48
HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c39
HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c37; HCWS64 [Statement from the Secretary of State], 2 September
2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

Several open licences have been amended to remove Israel as a permitted
destination for some items following the statement.60

Items not suspended
The Foreign Secretary said the suspension only covers items that could be
used in the current conflict in Gaza:
There are a number of export licences that we have assessed are not for
military use in the current conflict and therefore do not require suspension.
They include items that are not being used by the Israel Defence Forces in thecurrent conflict, such as trainer aircraft or other naval equipment. They also
include export licences for civilian use, covering a range of products such as
food-testing chemicals, telecoms, and data equipment. 61

Mr Lammy also said the decision would not affect the F-35 programme that
supplies aircraft to more than 20 countries (except where components godirectly to Israel, which are included in the action). Mr Lammy said the global
F-35 supply chain is “vital for the security of the UK, our allies and NATO”. 62
See box 2 on page 26 for more on the F-35 aircraft programme.

The decision-making process
The government has published a statement on the factors it took into
account in its decision: Summary of the international humanitarian law
process, decision and the factors taken into account, 2 September 2024.
As outlined in section 2, the government assesses licences against the UK’s
Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The government identified criterion 2(c)as the most significant in relation to the conflict in Gaza. Criterion 2(c) states:
Having assessed the recipient country’s attitude towards relevant principles
established by instruments of international humanitarian law, theGovernment will: (c) Not grant a licence if it determines there is a clear riskthat the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation ofinternational humanitarian law.

The government said it has determined “that there is a clear risk that certain
items, if exported, might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violationof IHL”. 63 The government said humanitarian access and the treatment ofdetainees were key factors in their decision making:

60

61
62
63

22

Department for Business and Trade, NTE 2024:20: suspension of licences for Israel, 2 September
2024
HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c37-40
HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c37-40, 45, 48, 144; PQ 3745 [F-35 aircraft], 5 September 2024
FCDO, Summary of the international humanitarian law process, decision and the factors taken into
account, 2 September 2024

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israel

The concerns regarding Israel’s compliance and commitment in the areas ofhumanitarian relief and treatment of detainees give cause for concern about
its attitude and approach to the conduct of hostilities. 64

A further factor was the government’s assessment that it could not “reach adeterminative judgment on allegations regarding Israel’s conduct ofhostilities”.65
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government had “carried out thereview in the same way” as the previous Conservative government, adding“it is a legal decision, not a policy decision”. 66
The government will keep its position under review. David Lammy said in his
statement that the “commitment to comply with international humanitarianlaw is not the only criterion in making export-licensing decisions”.67

Reaction to the announcement
Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell welcomed the publication of asummary of the decision-making process. 68 However, he criticised the timingof the announcement, which followed the deaths of six hostages in Gaza andthe deployment of UK forces to defend Israel from Iranian attack. Mr
Mitchell said that he “feared” the decision would “offend Israel”. 69 The
government said the timing reflected its decision to inform the Commons of
its decision as soon as Parliament returned from the summer recess. 70
The Leader of Opposition, Rishi Sunak, raised the topic at Prime Minister’s
Questions, asking about engagement with the United States and the timingof the announcement.71
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran welcomed theForeign Secretary’s announcement as a “step forward” but said the decision
should have also included an assessment of their use of UK-supplied
equipment in the West Bank as well as Gaza.72
The SNP welcomed the decision but said that the number of licencessuspended was “far too limited a response” and called for the government

64

65

66
67
68
69
70
71
72

23

FCDO, Summary of the international humanitarian law process, decision and the factors taken into
account, 2 September 2024
FCDO, Summary of the international humanitarian law process, decision and the factors taken into
account, 2 September 2024
HC Deb 4 September 2024 c302
HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c39
HC Deb 2 September 2024 c40
Andrew Mitchell MP on Twitter/X, “Announcing an arms embargo”, 2 September 2024
HL Deb 5 September 2024 c1244
HC Deb 4 September 2024 c303
Liberal Democrats, Israel arms export suspension, 4 September 2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

to publish the advice and legal assessment of why the other licences remain
permitted.. 73
The Campaign Against Arms Trade and War on Want issued a joint statement
which welcomed the announcement but said it did not go far enough. They
called on the government to end the exports of components for F-35 aircraft“that will then be sold to Israel”. 74
International reaction
The Israeli Government criticised the announcement. Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “shameful” and the Foreign Minister, Israel
Katz, said Israel “operates in accordance with international law […] andexpect ally nations like Britain to recognise that”. 75
The United States said it would not comment on the UK decision, but would
continue to support Israel’s defensive capabilities. The White House said that“there’s been no determination by the United States that they [Israel] haveviolated international humanitarian law”.76
US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, made clear the UK and
US had different legal approaches and US reviews were ongoing:
They [the UK] had a legal framework that they needed to apply, they appliedthat legal framework, and it led them to this decision. And it’s of course
appropriate for them to make their own legal judgments, based on theirsystem and their laws.
[…]
We have reviews that are ongoing. I don’t want to prejudge what thosereviews will conclude, but we are looking at a number of possible violations ofinternational humanitarian law, and we’ll make our own assessments basedon our review of the facts and our own judgments on our laws, as well asinternational humanitarian law. 77

4.3

UK legal cases
Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal
Action Network initially began proceedings for a judicial review of UK arms
sales to Israel in December 2023.

73
74

75

76
77

24

SNP demand evidence as Labour suspend […] arms licences, The National, 2 September 2o024
CAAT, Joint statement; suspension of arms export licences to Israel is welcome but inadequate andshows that pressure must be maintained”, 3 September 2024
UK suspends 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, Times of Israel, 2 September 2024;
Netanyahu condemns UK suspension of some arms exports to Israel, ITV News, 3 September 2024
White House, On the record press gaggle by […], John Kirby, 3 September 2024
US State Department, Department press briefing, 3 September 2024

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israel

The next hearing in the legal case will take place at the High Court inNovember 2024.78
Both organisations have stated they intend to continue their legal action
following the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of licence suspensions in
September 2024, adding that they “will now analyse whether thegovernment is acting in accordance with UK law by exempting the F35
components and will pursue accountability in court”. 79 The court has granted
Oxfam GB, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International (UK) permission
to intervene in support of their case.
Following the government’s decision to suspend some export licences in
September 2024, UK Lawyers for Israel has indicated it will pursue legal
action against the government unless it cancels the decision to suspend
licences. 80

International legal caseAt the International Court of Justice, South Africa has accused Israel ofinternational humanitarian law violations in its military operations in Gaza.81
Israel’s Government states it is “committed” to conducting its military
operations “in accordance with international law” and will investigate any
alleged misconduct by its forces. 82

78

79

80

81

82

25

GLAN law, Press Release: GLAN & Al-Haq continue legal action over government decision topartially restrict arms exports, excluding F-35 programme, 3 September 2024
GLAN law, Press Release: GLAN & Al-Haq continue legal action over government decision topartially restrict arms exports, excluding F-35 programme, 3 September 2024
UK lawyers for Israel, Legal Challenge to UK Government Ban on Arms Sales to Israel, 8 September
2024International Court of Justice, Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel), accessed 12 September 2024
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas-Israel Conflict 2023: Frequently Asked Questions, updated
8 December 2023

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israel

2 The F-35 combat aircraft programme
The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has highlighted UK industry
contributions to F-35 combat aircraft, which it says are “currently being usedin the bombardment of Gaza”. 83 CAAT has mapped all the UK companies itsays are involved in manufacturing components for the F-35 combat aircraftin the UK.84 CAAT says these components are exported using an open generallicence, which allows for multiple shipments of specified items to specified
destinations. 85
Liam Byrne, then chair of the Business and Trade Committee, raised the issueof the open licence for F-35 components with the government in March 2024
and was told that all licences are kept under review. 86
Both the Foreign Secretary and the Business and Trade Secretary explicitly
said that exports to the global F-35 programme will be excluded from thesuspension decision announced on 2 September 2024, except where they go
directly to Israel. 87 Mr Lammy said the global F-35 supply chain is “vital forthe security of the UK, our allies and NATO”. 88
The Business and Trade Secretary explained that the F-35 programme
depends on the UK and that suspending licences of F-35 components could
affect NATO and support for Ukraine:
The F35 programme has a significant dependence on the UK, which provides
unique and critical components. Due to the nature of the F35 as aninternational collaborative programme, it is not currently possible to suspend
licensing of F35 components for use by Israel without prejudicing the entire
global F35 programme, including its broader strategic role in NATO and our
support to Ukraine. 89

The Department of Business and Trade has revised the open general licencefor exports in support of the F-35 programme to reduce the scope of exports
to Israel.

83
84

85

86
87
88
89

26

Campaign Against Arms Trade, Statement on UK arms exports to Israel, 17 October 2023
Campaign Against Arms Trade, Mapped: All the UK companies manufacturing components for
Israel’s F35 combat aircraft, 2 February 2024
See Department for Business and Trade, Open general export licence (exports in support of joint
strike fighter: F-35 Lightning II), published 6 January 2014
PQ19282 [Open General Export Licence: F-35 aircraft], 27 March 2024
HCWS64 [Statement from the Secretary of State], 2 September 2024
HC Deb, 2 September 2024, c37-40, 45, 48, 144; PQ 3745 [F-35 aircraft], 5 September 2024
HCWS64 [Statement from the Secretary of State], 2 September 2024

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UK arms exports to Israel

Dutch court ruling halting export of F-35 components to
IsraelThe Netherlands, which hosts an F-35 parts distribution base, has halted
direct exports of F-35 components to Israel following a local court order in
February 2024. 90 The Dutch Government is appealing the ruling, arguing that
it is up to the government to determine foreign policy and that the
distribution of F-35 components is not unlawful.91
In July 2024, a Dutch court rejected a claim from human rights groups thatthe Dutch Government was ignoring the earlier ruling by sending the parts to
the United States, which was then sending them on to Israel. The court said
the groups had not provided evidence that this was the case.
During the hearing, the government said it was unable to track the parts
after they left the Netherlands.92 A lawyer for the Dutch Government said
that restricting F-35 components to states other than Israel could put at risk
supplies to militaries around the world who operate the advanced fighter
jets at a time of increased international tensions.93

90

91
92

93

27

Government of Netherlands, State lodges appeal in cassation against judgment on distribution of
F-35 parts to Israel, 12 February 2024
As above.
AP, A Dutch court rejects a claim the government is evading export ban on F-35 parts to Israel, 12
July 2024
As above

Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

UK arms exports to Israel

5Previous reviews and suspensions of arms
exports to Israel since 1948

In his September 2024 statement announcing the suspension of licences, theForeign Secretary David Lammy alluded to decisions of previous
governments to introduce some arms export restrictions:
In 1982, Margaret Thatcher imposed a full arms embargo and an oil embargo
on Israel as it fought in Lebanon. Conflicts in Gaza prompted Gordon Brown tosuspend five licences in 2009, and Vince Cable chose not to issue new licences
while conducting a review in 2014. 94

This section examines some of previous times the UK Government hasreviewed exports to Israel or taken action to suspend or revoke export
licences. It is not exhaustive. Some of the earlier arms embargoes,
introduced in Arab–Israeli conflicts, applied equally to Israel and Arab states.

1948
From 1920 to 1948, the British governed the mandate of Palestine, underwhich there was considerable conflict. In February 1947 the UK announced
its intention to withdraw and referred the issue to the United Nations. UK
forces withdrew in May 1948 and in the same month the independence ofthe state of Israel was declared. This was followed by the first Arab–Israeli
war.
During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the UN Security Council introduced anarms embargo on 29 May 1948.95 This called on all governments to refrainfrom importing or exporting war material into the region during a four-weekceasefire. The embargo was extended until 8 August 1949. This included
material to both Israeli and Arab forces. The UK ceased all supplies to nonBritish forces. 96

94
95
96

28

HC Deb 2 September 2024 c39
UN Security Council resolution 50 (1948) (PDF), 29 May 1948
Tancred Bradshaw, Arms and influence: British arms policy […], 1948-49, British Scholar, vol 3,
2010, pp86, 92-3; A. Illan, The origin of the Arab-Israeli arms race, 1996, p111, 144

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UK arms exports to Israel

1960sDuring the mid-to-late 1960s there was considerable discussion within the
UK Government about the sale of tanks to Israel. At the time, the UK had
adopted a policy of seeking to balance arms sales to Israel and Arab states,
limit the sale of offensive weapons and to not provide one side with moresophisticated weapons than the other. 97 The UK was already supplying
centurion tanks to Israel (and to Jordan), but Israel was also keen topurchase the new, more capable chieftain tanks.
After the third Arab–Israeli war broke out on 5 June 1967, the UK
Government imposed a 24-hour delay on the shipment of arms to Middle
East states including Israel. 98
Discussions about selling chieftain tanks to Israel, and weapons to Arabstates, continued after the war, prompting Mark Phythian, author of a bookon arms sales during this period, to conclude “the question of rearming theregion exposed all the contradictions at the heart of British arms sales
policy”. 99
The government would not be drawn on discussions around the sale ofchieftain tanks, responding to questions in Parliament by stating that it was
the “established practice, followed by successive governments, not todisclose details about the supply of arms and military equipment to
individual countries”.100 However, files released in 2003 indicated that,having previously agreed to sell chieftain tanks to Israel, the government
then blocked the sale in 1969.101

1973: Embargo imposed on the region
Prime Minister Edward Heath imposed an arms embargo on Israel and theArab states involved in the fourth Arab-Israeli war in 1973. In a statement on
16 October 1973, then Foreign Secretary Sir Alec Douglas-Home explainedthat continuing to supply the countries involved would be “inconsistent”
with their demand to halt hostilities:
When the hostilities broke out, Her Majesty's Government called for an
immediate cease-fire, and suspended all shipments of arms to the battlefield.
We did this because we considered it inconsistent to call for an immediate
end to the fighting and yet to continue to send arms to the conflict. This

Mark Phythian, The politics of British arms sales since 1964, 2000, chapter fiveMark Phythian, The politics of British arms sales since 1964, 2000, chapter five
99 Mark Phythian, The politics of British arms sales since 1964, 2000, chapter five
100 HL Deb 16 October 1969 c1542
101 BBC News, Files reveal British-Israel tank secrets, 2 January 2003
97
98

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UK arms exports to Israel

seems to me to be the best posture from which to make an effective
contribution to a constructive settlement.
As regards the effect of the embargo we have supplied a limited number ofarms to both sides in recent years. Whereas in 1967 an embargo would havediscriminated against Israel it is now even-handed. I would like to add herethat British military facilities overseas have not been and are not being used
for the transit of military supplies to the battlefield. 102

The Foreign Secretary went on to say that, while he would not discuss whatarms were being sold, “I am not giving away any secrets when I say that we
supply Centurion tanks and ammunition to Jordan as well as to Israel” addingthat “it does not make sense in present circumstances to send spare parts
and ammunition to both Jordan and Israel to reinforce their tank arm”. 103
Sir Alec Douglas-Home alluded to the previous government’s policy of abalanced approach to arms sales to countries in the region:
Why did we sell arms to Israel or, for that matter, to Jordan or to Egypt? The
idea—I think this policy was followed by the last Government—was to allow
moderate rearmament to try to give these countries sufficient security indefence so that they did not have to resort to attack one upon the other. It
may be said that that policy has failed, but that was the origin of it. 104

According to SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute,most of the weapons employed in the war were primarily imported from theUnited States in the case of Israel and from the Soviet Union in the case of
Egypt and Syria. 105

1982 to 1994: Embargo applied following
Israel’s invasion of Lebanon
The Conservative government announced in June 1982, following the Israeli
invasion of Lebanon, that it would “withhold approval of all licences for theexport to Israel of all British military equipment until further notice”. 106 The
government amended this in 1983 to allow the export of electronic andother small non-lethal components “provided that they did not form part ofequipment due to be into immediate service with the Israeli forces in
Lebanon”.107
The embargo remained in place until late May 1994. When pressed in 1991
as to why the embargo still applied, the minister at the time, Douglas Hogg,
HC Deb 16 October 1973 vol 861 cc30-41
HC Deb 16 October 1973 vol 861 cc30-41
104 HC Deb 16 October 1973 vol 861 cc30-41
105 SIPRI yearbook 1974, p150
106 HC Deb 1 December 1983 vol 233; HL Deb 1 April 1985, c113
107 HC Deb 1 December 1983 vol 233
102
103

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UK arms exports to Israel

explained that “it would not be sensible for the arms embargo to be relaxed”
when Israeli troops remained in Lebanon.108 By 1994, the Foreign Secretary
Douglas Hurd said there had been enough progress on the peace process
under the Oslo Accords to end the embargo:
I have decided that, in the light of favourable developments in the middle
east peace process, in particular the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho[in the West Bank], the United Kingdom's arms embargo against Israel should
be lifted. This will bring the United Kingdom into line with our European
Union partners.
Forthwith, all applications for the sale of arms to Israel will be consideredcases by case in the light of the international guidelines to which we arecommitted. Those include whether a proposed transfer would be likely toincrease tension in the region or contribute to regional instability. 109

Israeli forces did not fully withdraw from Lebanon until 2000.

2002: No embargo but new incorporation
policyThe outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada (Arabic for “uprising”,
referring to the sustained period of protests and violence) in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories in 2000 prompted the UK Government to “revoke anumber of export licences to Israel”. 110 However, the government did not
impose an embargo or further suspensions. Mike O’Brien, thenParliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, explained in June 2002:
Since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000 and taking into accountIsraeli military tactics, the Government have revoked a number of export
licences to Israel. We currently have no plans to freeze extant export licences
to Israel. 111

The government refused 84 standard individual export licences (SIELS) in
2002, which the Quadripartite Select Committee (the former name of the
UK’s Committee on Arms Export Control) noted was “the highest number ofrefusals for any destination”. 112 This committee was formed in 1999 frommembers of four committees: the Defence, Foreign Affairs, International

HC Deb 23 May 1991 c1055
HC Deb 26 May 1994, c224w
110 HC Deb 13 June 2002 c1400W
111 HC Deb 13 June 2002 c1400W
112 Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry Committees,
Strategic Export Controls: Annual Report for 2004, Quarterly Reports for 2005, Licensing Policy andParliamentary Scrutiny (PDF), 3 August 2006, HC 873 2005-6, para 157
108
109

31

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UK arms exports to Israel

Development, and Trade and Industry committees, and examined the UK’s
strategic export controls.113

New policy for incorporated licences; F-16 components
In July 2002 the then Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, introduced a new‘incorporation policy’ to the arms export criteria used at the time. 114 The
announcement explicitly mentioned the export of components for F-16
aircraft which would be sold to Israel by the US. Licences for components for
F-16 aircraft were among those suspended by the Business and Trade
Secretary Jonathan Reynolds in September 2024.115
In 2002 Mr Straw explained that the primary reason for introducing theincorporation policy was the global ‘rationalisation’ of the defence industry.
This led to it becoming more common for defence goods to be manufactured
from components sourced in several different countries.
The Foreign Secretary said that many export licence applications were forgoods to be incorporated in defence equipment in a second country, which
thereafter may be exported to a third country. Therefore, there needed to aclear approach for licence applications for goods that are to be incorporated
into products for onward export.
Mr Straw went on to say that one of the licence applications the government
had considered under this new approach was the export of head up display
units for incorporation in F-16 aircraft. He said that the government had
decided to continue with these licences, whilst also expressing “serious
concern” about the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories:
These include Head Up Display units (HUDs) for incorporation in F-16 aircraftscheduled for delivery to Israel in 2003. The UK content in F-16s is less than 1
per cent. in value, but the supply of HUDs is part of a long-standing
collaboration in this US programme. Any interruption to the supply of thesecomponents would have serious implications for the UK's defence relations
with the United States. 116

In October 2002 Mike O’Brien, then a Minister for the Foreign andCommonwealth Office, set out the government’s policy regarding arms
exports to Israel:
Our criteria clearly set out our commitment to take account of the risk thatexports might be used for internal repression or external aggression. The
outbreak of the intifada, continued Israeli incursions in the Occupied
Zeray Yihdego, Arms sales and Parliamentary accountability: the role of the Quadripartite
Committee, Parliamentary Affairs 61(4), October 2008
114 These can be found in annex F of the Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, Cm5819, July 2003
(a copy of which is available from SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)andHC Deb 26 October 2000 c199-203W
115 HCWS64 [Statement from the Secretary of State], 2 September 2024
116 HC Deb 8 July 2002, c650-3w
113

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UK arms exports to Israel

Territories and the Israeli breach of its assurance that UK originatedequipment would not be used in the Occupied Territories have all beenfactored in to the Government's current export licensing policy. The UK arms
trade with Israel is tiny. 117

A report by the Quadripartite Select Committee in 2006 suggested thisapproach remained in place:
The Minister confirmed that the policy had not changed since 2002: noweapons, equipment or components which could be deployed aggressively in
the Occupied Territories would be licensed for export from the UK to Israel;
and the Government did not take into account assurances given by the Israeli
Government concerning the end-use of exports. 118

2009: Five licences revoked following Israel’s
incursion into the Gaza Strip
In July 2009, following a review into whether UK-supplied equipment may
have been used during the 2008 Israeli ‘Operation Cast Lead’ against Hamas
in Gaza, the Labour government revoked five export licences for naval gun
components.119

2014 to 2015: Review of licences following
hostilities in the Gaza Strip
In August 2014, following the outbreak of hostilities between Israel andHamas and other armed groups in Gaza the previous month, theConservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government announced that it had
identified 12 export licences for components which could be part ofequipment used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza. 120
The government noted a ceasefire was in place, but added “in the event of a
resumption of significant hostilities, the government is concerned that it

HC Deb 31 October 2002, c984W
Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade and Industry Committees,
Strategic Export Controls: Annual Report for 2004, Quarterly Reports for 2005, Licensing Policy andParliamentary Scrutiny (PDF), 3 August 2006, HC 873 2005-6, para 156
119 HC Deb 21 April 2009 c8-9WS; Britain revokes arms licences for Israeli Navy guns, The Guardian,
13 July 2009; Committees on Arms Export Controls, Scrutiny of Arms Export Controls: UK Strategic
Export Controls Annual Report 2008, Quarterly Reports for 2009, licensing policy and review ofexport control legislation - Memoranda from Rt Hon Ivan Lewis MP, Secretary of State, Foreign andCommonwealth Office on Arms Exports to Israel Received 22 July 2009
120 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Government announces findings into review oflicensed exports to Israel, 12 August 2014.
117
118

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UK arms exports to Israel

would not be able to clarify if the export licence criteria are being met. It
would therefore suspend these licences as a precautionary step”.121
The government later identified these licences as components for: targeting
equipment, military radars, combat aircraft, tanks, military aero-engines;
launching/handling/control equipment for munitions, and technology for
military aero-engines and naval engines.122
In July 2015 the Conservative government announced the outcome of areview of export licensing for Israel. The government said that 11 months
from the establishment of a ceasefire “there is now sufficient informationfrom a wide variety of sources to apply standard export licensing
procedures… without any additional measures”.123

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Government announces findings into review oflicensed exports to Israel, 12 August 2014
122 PQ 4042 [Arms Trade: Israel], 24 May 2021
123 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Review of export licensing procedures for Israel, 14
July 2015
121

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Commons Library Research Briefing, 16 September 2024

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