After 6 Israeli Hostages Executed By Hamas, Great Britain Suspends Some Arms Sales To Israel

On Monday, two days after six Israel hostages were found to have been executed by Hamas by being shot multiple times from close range, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy of the Labour Party announced the United Kingdom would suspend some arms sales to Israel.

Roughly 30 arms sales licenses will be suspended, including parts for parts for fighter jets, helicopters and drones, the BBC reported.

“Facing a conflict such as this, it is this government’s legal duty to review Britain’s export licences,” Lammy told Parliament. “This is not a blanket ban, this is not an arms embargo. … the government will not issue export licenses if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law. It is with regret that I inform the House today, the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”

Yet Lammy also revealed he had started a review of British arms exports to Israel after his party took over in July. He admitted the review “could not arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law,” saying lamely, “This is a forward-looking evaluation, not a determination of innocence or guilt.”

“The UK’s decision to suspend arms export licenses to Israel is a betrayal of the free world,” Israeli Knesset member Dan Illouz of Likud fired back, as Israel National News reported.  “On October 7th, Hamas brutally slaughtered babies in their cribs, burned entire families alive, and murdered children and parents in their homes. IDF soldiers are fighting and sacrificing their lives not just for Israel, but to defend the entire free world. If Israel doesn’t defeat this terror, you will be next. It’s time for the world to wake up.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed, “Deeply disheartened to learn of the sanctions placed by the U.K. Government on export licenses to Israel’s defense establishment. This comes at a time when we fight a war on 7 different fronts – a war that was launched by a savage terrorist organization, unprovoked. At a time when we mourn 6 hostages who were executed in cold blood by Hamas inside tunnels in Gaza. At a time when we fight to bring 101 hostages home. … I stand by our troops and security agencies working with immense courage, professionalism and moral values. We remain committed to defending the State of Israel and her people.”

In early August, Jewish members of the Labour Party penned a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in which they accused him of heightening anti-Semitism.

“Instead of public outreach to show you understand and empathize with our experiences since Oct 7, your actions have exacerbated the situation,” they charged. “Knowing that Israel serves as a cipher for a loud and increasingly confident section of people to attack Jews, you have chosen to appease instead of confronting bullies.”

“Objections to the ICC case were dropped, funding to UNRWA was resumed (effectively aiding Hamas atrocities) and now you propose an arms embargo while Hezbollah is deliberately killing Israeli children,” they continued. “You have also said that the British Government will formally recognize a Palestinian state, seemingly without putting any conditions in place to ensure its democracy or to safeguard its neighbor. This sends a message internationally that the brutal terrorism of Hamas should be rewarded, and domestically that the nasty bullying of MPs (including those in your party) by hate groups is effective.”