To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review their policy on arms sales to Israel, given the recent violence in Gaza.
Answered on
7 June 2018
Sales of military items to other countries by UK companies require export licences. Export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all prevailing circumstances at the time of the application. The Government will not issue a licence if to do so would be inconsistent with these Criteria.
The Government is monitoring the situation in Israel and Gaza very closely and will revoke extant export licences if they are assessed to be no longer consistent with licensing criteria.
The policy framework for assessing exports of military items was announced to Parliament by the former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Rt. Hon Member for Twickenham, Sir Vince Cable, as a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014.