UK – We revoked Israel arms licenses, but it’s no embargo 14Jul09 July 14, 2009
by Barak Ravid
Haaretz
13 July 2009
The British Embassy in Tel Aviv confirmed Monday that the United Kingdom has revoked a number of arms export licenses to Israel following the Gaza war, but insisted that the move did not constitute a partial embargo.
“There is no partial U.K. arms embargo on Israel,” the embassy said in a statement to Haaretz. “U.K. policy remains to assess all export licenses to Israel against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.”
The statement came in response to a Haaretz report that Britain had indeed slapped a partial arms embargo on Israel, refusing to supply replacement parts and other equipment for Sa’ar 4.5 gunships because they participated in Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.
The embassy added: “We reassessed these licenses against the U.K. and EU consolidated criteria. We judged that in a small number of cases Israeli action in Operation Cast Lead would result in the export of those goods now contravening the consolidated criteria. These licenses have been revoked.
“There are no security agreements between the UK and Israel.”
Britain’s Foreign Office informed Israel’s embassy in London of the sanctions a few days ago. The embassy, in a classified telegram to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, said the decision stemmed from heavy pressure by both members of Parliament and human rights organizations.
The embargo followed a government review of all British defense exports to Israel, which was announced three months ago. In total, the telegram said, Britain reviewed 182 licenses for arms exports to Israel, including 35 for exports to the Israel Navy. But it ultimately decided to cancel only five licenses, all relating to the Sa’ar 4.5 ships. The licenses in question apparently cover spare parts for the ship’s guns.
The British said the embargo was imposed because these ships participated in Operation Cast Lead. In so doing, the British claimed, they violated the security agreements between Britain and Israel, which specify what uses may be made of British equipment.
Last week, Britain’s foreign and defense ministries informed the relevant companies that they would have to cease their planned arms deals with Israel’s navy.
Ever since the Gaza operation, British MPs and nongovernmental organizations have been trying to persuade London to impose a complete arms embargo on Israel. However, the British government has rejected this demand.
In February, Amnesty International published a report on arms sales to Israel in which it highlighted Britain’s role in supplying engines for Hermes 450 drones. According to Amnesty, Israel uses these drones to conduct assassinations in Gaza. The report prompted the Palestinian organization Al-Haq to file a suit against the British government, arguing that British arms sales facilitate Israeli operations in Gaza.
In April, Foreign Secretary David Miliband informed Parliament that Britain would reexamine all its defense exports to Israel in light of Operation Cast Lead. An Israeli Foreign Ministry official said that since then, Britain’s military attache in Israel has requested information on the uses Israel made of various types of British-supplied equipment during Cast Lead.
Foreign Ministry officials said that only a small percentage of Israel’s defense-related imports come from Britain. According to data suppled by Britain’s department of trade, these sales total some 20 million pounds – about NIS 130 million.
The British embargo is not expected to have any impact on the navy’s operational capability. However, it has great political significance, and could encourage other countries to halt defense exports to Israel. The country considered most likely to be next is Belgium, which sells Israel equipment used to disperse demonstrations.
In an earlier response, the British Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a statement saying, “On 21 April 2009 the Foreign Secretary issued a Written Ministerial Statement about U.K. exports to Israel which may have been used by the Israel Defense Forces during the conflict in Gaza. This statement makes clear that all exports are subject to stringent controls.
“The statement sets out clearly the detail of U.K. components in equipment that may have been used in Operation Cast Lead. U.K. equipment was not exported for specific use in Operation Cast Lead and export licenses were issued based on all the evidence available at the time they were granted.
“Future decisions will take into account what has happened in the recent conflict. We do not grant export licenses where there is a clear risk that arms will be used for external aggression or internal repression.
“We do not believe that the current situation in the Middle East would be improved by imposing an arms embargo on Israel. Israel has the right to defend itself and faces real security threats.
“This said, we consistently urge Israel to act with restraint and supported the EU Presidency statement that called the Israeli actions during operation Cast Lead ‘disproportionate.’”
LINK: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1099701.html
Commentary
Britain Slaps Partial Arms Embargo on Israel
Move Stems From Israeli Violations of Security Deal in Gaza War
by Jason Ditz
Antiwar.com
12 July 2009
Israeli media outlets are reporting tonight that the British government has
slapped a partial arms embargo on the Israeli government. Britain will no
longer supply Israel with parts and supplies for their Sa’ar 4.5 gunships.
In April the British government announced a review on all military exports
to Israel in light of the enormous death toll in the invasion of the Gaza
Strip. Britain has very strict requirements regarding how their exported
arms can be used by purchasing countries, and it has determined that Israel
violated the terms in its use of the Sa’ar 4.5 in the war.
The Israeli Navy only has a handful of the Sa’ar 4.5 missile boats, and as
such the inability to acquire spare parts will likely have only a negligible
effect on the nation’s naval capabilities. However the political
ramifications of an influential nation such as Britain issuing even a
partial halt on weapons sales could be significant.
US officials have suggested that Israel has also broken the terms of its
arms deals in recent conflicts, however the US has never gone so far as to
actually stop the exports or even publicly criticize the Israelis for
flouting the terms of use.
LINK: http://news.antiwar.com/2009/07/12/britain-slaps-partial-arms-embargo-on-israel/
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