UK Threatens Arms Sales Halt to Israel over Gaza Law Breach

Oliver Dowden, Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister, made it clear that the UK would halt arms sales to Israel if it’s determined that Israel has violated international law in Gaza. This declaration comes amidst calls for the UK government to reveal the legal guidance it has received regarding ongoing military sales to Israel.

During an interview on the BBC’s “Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg”, Dowden stated that the UK would cease arms supplies if advised that selling arms would contravene international humanitarian law, emphasizing that this standard applies universally, even to allies like the United States. He highlighted the UK’s commitment to high ethical standards, contrasting it with the actions of terrorist groups targeting Israel.

The UK government appears divided on the issue of arms sales to Israel. Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, writing in the Sunday Times, stressed that while the UK supports Israel, this support is contingent upon Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law and its responsibilities towards the people of Gaza as an occupying force.

The context of these discussions includes the recent deaths of three British aid workers, John Chapman, James “Jim” Henderson, and James Kirby, killed on April 1 by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

This debate coincides with the six-month anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties.