We, as civil society organisations campaigning to hold the government accountable to international law and UK rules on arms exports, are appalled by the Government’s movement towards unblocking arms licenses to Israel.
The Government’s position was already untenable, temporarily suspending approximately 30 of 350 arms licenses to Israel, amounting to only 8.6% of total licenses. Even this policy position took until the 2ndSeptember 2024 to implement.
Crucially, this partial ban also created a loophole, known as the ‘F-35 carve-out’, which meant that components for F-35 aircraft were exempted from the partial suspension and continued to be exported, even though they have been used by the Israeli Air Force in the bombardment of Gaza throughout the genocide. For example, in July 2024, F-35s were used to drop three 2,000 lb bombs in an attack on a so-called ‘safe zone’ on Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, which killed 90 Palestinians.
On 20th May 2025, the UK Government also suspended talks on a new trade with Israel, but did not suspend the existing Israel-UK Free Trade Agreement.
Now, Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle, has given an interview to the Jewish Chronicle, during which he committed to revisiting UK-Israel trade conversations and the decision to pause arms export licenses, adding that the two matters were ‘intrinsically linked’.
Israeli forces have killed at least 449 Palestinians since the latest US-brokered truce took effect on 10 October. Violations by Israel include a series of strikes last Thursday that hit displacement tents in Khan Younis, schools-turned-shelters in northern Gaza, and homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp and Gaza City. These strikes alone killed 14 Palestinians, including 5 children. Israel has also continued to block aid and to destroy hundreds of Palestinian homes. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
Peter Kyle said that he wants to see movement towards a ‘sustainable peace’ in order for these measures to be considered. This position is completely divorced from reality. Israel’s continued killing of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank demonstrates a total disregard for peace, and a continuation of the genocide of the Palestinian people.
Furthermore, Israel has concentrated the population of Gaza into an area beyond the Yellow Line, constituting only 42% of the Gaza Strip, and continues to expand this area. Prior to this concentration, Gaza was already one of the most densely populated places on the planet.
This, coupled with Israel’s demolition of houses within its ‘zone of control’ and indeed, beyond the ‘Yellow Line’, shows that Israel seeks to ensure that life continues to be unliveable in Gaza. Israel’s restriction of humanitarian aid and recent suspension of licenses for 37 international aid organisations further illustrates this point.
Critically, there has been little or no improvement to the situation on the ground in relation to the Government’s own factors for why it implemented an arms export license suspension. Namely, Israel’s refusal to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to access Palestinian political detainees, and Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza. In fact, it is not even the case that there has been no substantive change. Rather, Israel has actively introduced new disruptions to aid distribution in Gaza, including its revocation of the licenses of 37 international non-governmental organisations working on aid provision in Gaza and the West Bank.
In this context, the UK should not only not “unpause” the current suspension of some 30 licences, but suspend all arms exports to Israel and suspend its existing free trade agreement with Israel. A continuation of the status quo is insufficient, but a revocation of its current policies is altogether unconscionable. It not only fails to hold Israel to account for its genocide of the Palestinian people, but it also risks demonstrating the UK’s weak commitment to upholding international law, already revealed through its continued supply of arms and business-as-usual approach to arms and economic trade with Israel, which has been damaged significantly in recent years by the UK’s continued support of Israel, despite its continued crimes against the Palestinian people.
Signatories:
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Global Justice Now
Global Legal Action Network
International Centre of Justice for Palestinians
War on Want
Emily Apple, CAAT’s Media Coordinator said:
Kyle’s claim that arms licences and UK-Israel trade talks are “intrinsically linked”, makes clear that above all his comments are intended to appease Israeli and US regimes, rather than reflect any legal or moral reality. Once again this government’s political strategy is to signal they they can be bought out, and even genocide can be brushed under the carpet for trade deals.
Israel’s genocide is still ongoing. It has been supported throughout by a constant stream of UK made parts for the F-35 fighter jet. The UK government has admitted there is a clear risk these jets will be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law by Israel in Gaza, but fought tooth and nail for two years to ensure their supply.
Crucially, the UK government is aware of hundreds of incidents of potential war crimes for which there has been no justice. Legally, this government cannot justify lifting any suspension on arms licences to Israel, as it continues to perpetrate genocide and apartheid against Palestinians.
ENDS
