Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Arms Export Licences: Israel

Thursday 30 November 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial questions addressed concerns over potential revocation of arms export licenses to Israel due to violations of international humanitarian law.
  • The UK government granted 114 standard individual export licences for military goods valued at 42 million to Israel in the previous year.
  • The Secretary of State disagreed with the implication that the UK is complicit in violations of international humanitarian law by supplying arms to Israel.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Steven Bonnar
Defence Foreign Affairs
Context

Since Hamas's terrorist attacks on October 7, there has been a conflict in the region. The UK supports Israel's right to defend itself within international law. However, concerns exist about the potential for complicity if arms exported are used in violations of humanitarian laws.

Question

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of revoking arms export licenses to Israel due to concerns over their use in violating international humanitarian law.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

Since the barbaric terrorist acts by Hamas against Israel on 7 October and the subsequent conflict in the region, the Government have been monitoring the situation very closely. The UK supports Israel's legitimate right to defend itself and take action against terrorism, provided that that is within the bounds of international humanitarian law. Export licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard, and we are able to amend licences or refuse new licence applications if they are inconsistent with the strategic export licensing criteria.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific merit assessment for revoking arms licenses was not addressed.

How: Monitoring Situation Closely, Legitimate Right To Defend

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Q2 Joanna Cherry SNP
Foreign Affairs
Context

The conflict in Gaza has raised concerns about the legitimacy of arms exports to Israel. There is a need for transparency regarding which arms export licences are currently active.

Question

No one is suggesting that Israel does not have the right to defend itself—but, as the Secretary of State says and we agree, within the bounds of international law. The mass killing of civilians in Gaza should concern us all. Without resorting to platitudes about the relative toughness of the UK's arms export controls, could she please identify which arms export licences are currently in force, including open licences for end use by the Israeli defence and security forces, and provide details of them to the House?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

I do not believe that is something that I am able to do or should do. I can tell the hon. and learned Lady that last year we granted 114 standard individual export licences for military goods valued at £42 million to Israel. If there is a specific issue that she would like to highlight, we are prepared to look at it, but she will know that security and defence exports are not necessarily best discussed on the Floor of the House or in public, for obvious reasons.

Not addressed: The list of current licences was not provided.

How: Security And Defence Exports, Best Discussed Privately

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Q3 Steven Bonnar
Defence Foreign Affairs
Context

The International Criminal Court is investigating potential war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. Concerns arise about the UK's role if arms supplied are used in such violations.

Question

A state that supplies military equipment that is used in the commission of violations of international humanitarian law is at risk of complicity in a humanitarian catastrophe. In continuing with those licences and supplying UK arms to Israel, what assessment does the Secretary of State make of the potential for UK Government complicity, if Israel is found to have committed war crimes in Gaza by the ongoing International Criminal Court investigation?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

I am quite surprised that there is not a word of condemnation, and the implication that the UK is complicit is really not the sort of thing we would expect from a British Member of Parliament in this House. I completely disagree with the premise of the hon. Gentleman's question. The Government take our defence export responsibilities extremely seriously and operate some of the most robust and transparent export controls in the world.

Not addressed: No assessment was provided on UK Government complicity.

How: Surprised By Implication, Robust And Transparent Controls

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