Official announcements from the UK government or relevant defense authorities

UK Labour Government and Germany Limit Arms Exports to Israel Since March 2024 Amid Concerns

Sep 18, 2024, 04:52 PM

The UK and Germany have both taken significant steps to limit arms exports to Israel amid concerns over potential violations of international law. The UK’s new Labour government has suspended 30 of its 350 arms export licenses to Israel, citing credible claims of mistreatment of detainees and the risk of items being used to violate international law in Gaza. Despite this, the UK's arms exports to Israel constitute less than 1% of Israel's total arms imports. Questions have also been raised about the RAF using information gained through torture to launch spy missions over Gaza. Meanwhile, Germany has halted the approval of new war weapons exports to Israel since March 2024, due to ongoing legal challenges and concerns over human rights violations. Germany, the second-largest arms supplier to Israel after the United States, has not officially stated this halt but has significantly decreased its arms exports, with no offensive weapons approved since March. This move comes as Germany faces scrutiny over its arms export policies and their compliance with international law.