UK government NOT expected to announce Israel arms sale suspension this week
A No.10 spokesperson said on Monday there had been no update from either the Foreign Office or foreign secretary on the matter
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Keir Starmer’s government is not expected to announce a suspension of arms sales to Israel in the Commons this week, despite feverish speculation that a move could be confirmed as early as Tuesday.
A No.10 spokesperson confirmed on Monday that there had been no update from either the foreign office or from foreign secretary David Lammy on the matter.
This was later also confirmed by sources close to the foreign secretary.
Speculation mounted that an announcement was likely after reports from Israel said officials there had insisted the UK will “likely announce it will suspend issuing expert licenses for arms sales to Israel in the coming days.”
Lammy is expected to appear in the Commons on Tuesday for the usual Foreign Questions session.
The pre-published list of questions shows that 13 out of 24 questions selected by ballot relate to Israel and Gaza.
He will be questioned in the session on the “planned timescale for completing his review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law”.
On July 18 Lammy told the Commons he had not been able to access legal advice given to the previous government on the matter, so he had initiated the process himself.
But he said:”It’s a quasi legal process. It is very sombre and very serious.”
The lack of an expected announcement on arms sales on Tuesday does not mean the government is prepared to act on any legal advice it receives on the matter in the future.
“I can’t comment on the previous government’s actions on this matter,” said one source.
“But to say we would not act on any serious legal advice would be absurd.
“Especially in a government that is packed full of lawyers.”
Jewish News has learned that Attorney General Richard Hermer KC travelled to Israel last Thursday.
As well as meeting with Israel officials in regards to the decision by the UK to withdraw its objections to the ICC’s application for arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, it is understood that Hermer also visited Area C in the West Bank.
Sources said he had spoken with human rights organisations in the region, although it is unclear if this was to do with settlement issues, or with regards to the use of arms.
As promised by Labour ahead of their landslide general election win, the new foreign secretary has begun a process in which he will look at the legal advice made by government lawyers, the Attorney General, Treasury Counsel on others on arms sales to Israel, and whether there is a risk they have been used in breaches of international law in Gaza.
In the Commons earlier this month Lammy said of new application to get legal advice himself: “It is a process that has begun.
“I’m not able to look back on advice made available to previous government ministers. So that process has begun. It’s a quasi legal process. It is very somber and very serious.”
Asked if he would eventually publish legal advice given to him, Lammy said: “I will make that assessment and I will come forward to Parliament at the appropriate time and judgment.
“Having not received the legal advice and the assessment. I don’t want to reach that conclusion today.”
Jewish News understands that the government is keen to be part of added international pressure on the Israeli government to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza.
They fear that Netanyahu is so deaf to diplomatic moves, that the threat of arms sale bans is one of the few options left.
Arms sales from the UK represent a small proportion of total transfers to Israel, but this immaterial to the government’ legal obligations.
Rishi Sunak’s government came under sustained pressure to publish the legal advice it received on the matter from MPs from all sides. But they failed to do so before the election was called.
The new Labour government is also determined to be seen as fully aware of Israel’s right to defend itself from multiple enemies, including Hezbollah in the north, and from the wider Iranian threat.
If proceeding with an arms sale suspension, the government will attempt to argue it does not impact on Israel’s defensive capabilities.
Lammy has told MPs that he was fully supportive of the decision by the UK and the US to deploy drones in response to the barrage of missiles filed by Iran.
Two announcements by the government in regards to the return of UNRWA funding, and the ICC decision, have sparked a backlash in some sections of the UK community.
The prospect of a third announcement on arms, especially after the deadly Hezbollah strike at the weekend, sparked even further concern about the government’s direction of travel.
But all three moves had been on the cards prior to the general election.Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has requested a meeting with Starmer to discuss concerns over the government’s stance on Israel.
Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg also write an op-ed from the Sunday Times in which he suggested Labour should not take the community’s good-will “for granted.”
But one senior communal figure criticised attempts to suggest the Jewish vote in this country was determined to such an extent by policy decisions towards Israel.
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